Summer Lovin
by LindseyPotterBlackWeasley
Summary: Lily Evans is ready to have the summer of a lifetime with her two best friends before their final year at Hogwarts. Some unexpected neighbors may just get in on Lily's summer fun!
1. Chapter 1

**Ok guys! This is my very first fanfic so please be nice! Hope you enjoy a little Lily/James lovin!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters! Sadly, JK owns them all (Minus any that come from my own imagination!). Including James. And Sirius. This upsets me :/**

**Now onto the story!**

Lily Evans looked around her dorm at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She took in the maroon bed curtains hanging around her four poster bed that she loved oh so much. She glanced out the window to catch a glimpse of the giant squid pulling one of its tentacles back under the inky surface of the Black Lake. It was a warm summer evening at Hogwarts and most of the student body was outside soaking in the sun; however, Lily was stuck inside.

"Lily, you knew that your clothes wouldn't pack themselves. You shouldn't have waited til last minute to put them in your trunk!" she chastised herself under her breathe.

"Not talking to yourself again are you, Lils?" asked Lily's best friend, Katie Parkins. The girls had been best friends since their boat ride to Hogwarts in their first year. They had both gaped in awe of the enormous castle that would soon be there home. The two were sorted into the same house, Gryffindor, and grew closer in the following years. Lily could hardly imagine her life without Katie now.

"It's only a problem if I answer myself Katie!" Lily laughed at her friend's dry sense of humor.

It was the end of their sixth year at Hogwarts and the girls were planning to embark on a trip to America with their other best friend, Sara Snow. Sara owned a beach house in Perdido Key, a place neither Lily nor Katie had ever heard of. The trip was set to start one week into the summer and end the week before they started their final year at Hogwarts. Lily could hardly wait to sit in the sand with a good book. Complete relaxation was only a week away and Lily was in desperate need of it, especially with a certain raven-haired boy constantly asking her on dates. Speaking of the git, the common room was oddly quiet. Too quiet. The shenanigans of the Marauders could constantly be heard throughout the entire dorm that housed could constantly be heard throughout the entire dorm that housed the Gryffindors.

"Where are _they_?" Lily nearly growled. Her two friends looked at each other nervously as they hopped up onto their beds. The Marauders were infamous for their pranks and the girls did not want to fall victim of one of their jokes. Again. They seemed to take a particular interest in the three girls. Lily felt partially responsible due to James's not-so-subtle crush on her. Though she had denied him multiple times, even physically harmed him on several occasions, he was ever persistent in getting her to fall for him.

"Who's gonna check under the beds?" Sara asked in a quavering voice. The pranks were harmless but they often were messy and could cause a little humiliation. One ended with Lily covered in feathers, Katie tied to her bed by magical ropes, and Sara ended up with green hair. The trio tried to block this incident from their memories, but they could all feel it creeping to the forefront of their minds now.

Lily glanced out the window once again and saw the four boys who were causing their distress. They were the Marauders. Lily caught sight of Sirius Black's curly mane of hair as he tipped his head back in a boisterous laugh. Remus Lupin shook his head at his friend, attempting to hide a smile. Peter Pettigrew was slightly behind the group, always looking slightly awkward next to his three handsome friends. The last boy Lily's eyes landed upon was James. James Potter was devilishly handsome, much like Sirius. The dynamic duo had been breaking hearts since the moment they stepped on the Hogwarts Express. James's permanently windblown hair was sticking up in the back as usual. Lily felt the increasing need to run her fingers through his jet black hair to fix or perhaps even mess it up more. She had always considered Potter an inconsiderate toe rag, but this year, he seemed to change. He was less arrogant and didn't pull pranks on innocent first years as often. He had also started to become Lily's friend. As much as she hated to admit it, she actually enjoyed his company. Craved it. Needed it…

Lily snapped her head away from the window and shook it lightly to clear her thoughts. She did not need to think of _Potter _like that. He was a right foul git who would only chase her until he caught her. It was nothing but a game to him. That was it.

"We're safe. They're out by the Black Lake" Lily told her friends as she hopped down from bed. "I need to finish packing now. Will you guys help me?" Katie and Sara nodded their agreement as the too returned to the floor.

The three girls had Lily's belongings packed quickly and were left with nothing to do but fantasize about their fast-approaching vacation. Would they find summer love? Find a treasure? None of them knew, but they could hardly wait to find out.

Lily heard a loud bang from the common room and knew the Marauders were back inside. She felt a small smile on her face as she thought of James Potter in the summer. Perhaps she would miss him…

**Well there's the first chapter! Hope you all enjoyed it! Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow! Thank you so much to everyone who favorited the story/alerted it! I've never understood why authors wanted feedback until now! And a special thank you goes out to Dramionelicious for reviewing! **

**Anyways, I'll be leaving for the beach on Saturday so this may be the last update you get for a while unless you persuade me otherwise *wink wink*!**

**And the Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine (except Katie Parkins and Sara Snow who are based on a combination of my four best friends). They are the sole property of the great JK Rowling.**

**Now onto the story!**

Lily awoke early the next morning. It was the last day of school. Finals were done and the joy was tangible on the air. Summer was mere hours away and Lily Evans absolutely adored summer. With an ever-increasing smile on her face, she bounded over to Katie's bed, shaking her awake.

"Wake up! Don't be such a vampire K! The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and my stomach is growling for some breakfast!" Lily shouted, punctuating each phrase by jumping up and down on Katie's bed.

"Liiiiilllllyyyy…"Katie groaned. Looking at her alarm clock, her eyes widened and she quickly yanked her blanket back over her head, effectively sending Lily tumbling to the floor. "It is only 7:30. Breakfast does not start until 9:00." She hissed through clenched teeth.

"But Katiebug, it's our last day here. Don't you want to watch the sun rising over the Black Lake? We've done it since first year." Lily replied sweetly, her bottom lip jutting out slightly.

"Fine" Katie huffed, throwing off her blankets and shoving her feet into her slippers. "Go wake up Sara while attempt to comb my hair."Katie said as she raked her hand through her mane of dark brown hair.

"Ok my dark-haired beauty" Lily's smile could be heard in her voice. Katie shook her head at her best friend, a smile gracing her face nonetheless.

Lily strode over to Sara's bed where the curtains were drawn. She wrenched them back in a fluid motion just in time to see Sara close her eyes.

"SaraBoo! Wake up! It's time to watch the sun rise over the lake!" Lily cooed down at her friend who was feigning sleep. Lily poked Sara's face. She didn't stir. Then she decided to pull her "sleeping" friend's hair. Nothing. "Hmmmm….Katie!" Lily called.

"Yes?" Katie replied, toothbrush in hand and toothpaste on her chin. Lily mimed wiping her face and Katie laughed, cleaning herself up.

"Sweet little Sara doesn't want to get out of bed. Maybe we should just leave her here" Lily said, all the while inching closer to Sara and motioning for Katie to follow suit.

"Yeah, maybe we should" Katie replied. She coughed to cover a laugh as Lily counted down from three on her fingers.

"GO!" They both yelled as they relentlessly tickled their friend as she rose off her bed.

"Stop! Stop! Stop!" Sara exclaimed breathlessly. As Katie and Lily finally ceased their tickling torture, Sara put a hand to her neck, checking her pulse. "I think I'm going in to cardiac arrest! Some friends you are! Trying to do me in!" Sara retorted, not able to keep the smile from her face.

The girls fell back onto the bed laughing and eventually lapsed into a comfortable silence. This was why they were best friends. One second they could be screaming and laughing, the next they simply just enjoyed each other's company. While Katie and Lily had been best friends since there first year, Sara had moved to Hogwarts from an American school halfway through third year. She was an extremely shy girl but Lily sat next to her in Potions and got to know the timid girl. They were soon best friends and Katie grew to love the girl just as Lily did. After that point, the three were rarely seen without each other. Much like the Marauders, the girls were friends with their entire class, minus a few Slytherins, but they mostly stuck together.

"We'd better get going if we want to catch the sunrise" Katie said', glancing at Lily's alarm clock and realizing the girl had set her alarm an hour later. It was actually 6:30. "Why did you change my clock?"Katie asked.

"So you wouldn't complain as much" Lily replied as she rose from the bed and headed to the bathroom to get ready for the day. It was a tradition at Hogwarts to break out of their traditional wizard garb on the last day of school and swap it for more casual clothes. Lily emerged from the bathroom in khaki shorts and a coral tank top with leather sandals. The one thing Lily despised about the wizarding world was wearing robes in the summer heat, but that annoyance was long forgotten as a light breeze blew through the open window. Katie turned around wearing blue jean shorts and a purple tank top with black flip flops. Her long brown hair was pulled to the side in a braid. Sara was dressed in a navy shorts and a yellow tank top with Sperry's on her feet. Lily quickly pulled the front section of her hair back in a neat little braid and the girls set off for the Black Lake.

Some time later, the girls reluctantly got up from their favorite spot on the grounds and walked back to the Great Hall for breakfast. Lily looked around and narrowed her eyes as she saw the only spot left at the Gryffindor table was in front of the Marauders. James looked as handsome as ever in his green v-neck and loose khaki shorts. His attractiveness irritated Lily. He was currently laughing at Sirius who had dribbled syrup onto his blue shirt. He shot a glare at James as he siphoned the stickiness off with a wave of his wand. Lily sighed. She would not be of age until mid-July. All of her friends could already legally perform magic outside the grounds but she was still restricted.

"Lilyflower! I saved you a seat dearest!" James called once he caught sight of Lily. Katie smirked as her friend's cheeks blushed a red that competed with her hair. Lily tried to look irritated but her smile would not be held back. She shuffled over to the bench and plopped down, helping herself to some toast.

"Morning Lily! Morning Sara! Morning Katie!" Sirius called as the three sat down, his eyes landing and staying on Katie. Her face flushed and she quickly hid it by drink her orange juice.

"Good morning Sirius. James. Remus" Sara replied, nodding to each boy on turn.

"So what are you three beauties doing this summer?" James asked conversationally.

"Oh not mu.."Lily started before Katie butted in.

"We're all going to Sara's beach house over in the states!" she said enthusiastically. Lily shot her a look as if to say, "Why would you tell them that! Of all people to tell you tell _them_!" Katie's smile faltered as the boys shared a conspiratorial look.

"Where's Peter?" Sara asked, as her two friends also noticed the boy's absence.

"Spattergroit." Remus replied from behind the Daily Prophet. "He woke up with it and Madame Pomfrey sent him home immediately. Said he'd be over it by start of term next year."

"That's horrible" Lily said. James was watching her from under his lashes. The smoldering look in his eyes made her heart melt but she quickly reminded herself of how arrogant he was. She could not, would not, should not like James Potter.

As the girls finished up their toast, the bid the three boys goodbye and headed off to the common room. As soon as they were out of earshot, James turned to Sirius.

"Didn't you say you owned a beach house in the states?"he asked, excitement evident on his face.

"Yes. Yes I did James, old boy. Why? Oh! Good idea Prongs!" Sirius exclaimed as Remus nodded his approval.

James grinned crookedly. "Pack your bags boys. And get ready for the greatest summer yet."

**Hope you all enjoyed this! Sorry to any of those who like Peter but I just really wanted him gone. He won't be coming back. Like I said earlier, this could be the last update for a while unless I'm inclined to write a little more! Review pretty please!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Well do to some wonderful reviews, *ahem! RAINAraina, weasleytwins12, and Dramionelicious! I love you all dearly for your kind words, I decided to get in another chapter! Now as for the story, I'm not sure how long it will be, but I do know that it will run at least until our lovely friends restart school. I have the basic structure of the story down, but I do need some fun things for the gang to do! If you have any ideas I will gladly take them into consideration! Just leave them along with a review! **

**Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all recognizable elements of this story.**

**Now onto the story!**

A soft ocean breeze blew across Lily's face, sending her hair wild. She smiled as James tucked it behind her ear, his hand pausing on her cheek. This was bliss, sitting on a blanket on the beach with the most wonderful boy in the world. James sprang from his spot and raced towards the surf.

"James!" Lily laughed at his antics as she hurried to catch him. Her foot caught on the sand and she lurched forward, waiting to feel the sting of the sand scraping her, but it did not come. She only felt a strong pair of quidditch-toned arms wrap around her and pull her close. "Thanks," she whispered into James's chest.

"Anytime, love," James responded.

Lily's breathe caught in her throat as she saw the smoldering hazel eyes that burned her up. She leaned in, ready to finally kiss the boy she had despised for six years. She had despised him because he was so bloody handsome. Once she realized he was kind, the dislike went away. James's proximity was suffocating in a good way. All she could smell was his cologne and the salty sea air. They were barely an inch away from each other when James spoke.

"Lily," he said.

"Shut up Potter and kiss me already," Lily shot back, not moving.

"Lily," he repeated, this time with a slight edge in his tone.

"What's wrong James?" Lily asked.

"LILY!" James said, his voice shifting from his deep tone to a much shriller one. James now spoke in the voice of Lily's sister, Petunia.

Lily groaned into her pillow. Her dream had been wonderful even if it was wrong, not to mention impossible. She shouldn't think of James in any way other than friendship, if even that. She jumped as her door slammed open.

"Lily! Did you not hear me call?" Petunia asked furiously. "Vernon will be here soon and you need to at least look presentable," she snarled.

"Yes, Petunia," Lily sighed. Ever since she had gotten her letter from Hogwarts, just before her eleventh birthday, there had been a riff between the sisters. The riff grew with time. Now, Petunia barely looked at Lily and only spoke to her when absolutely necessary. Lily also knew that Petunia called her a freak. She could not handle that her little sister was different. Individualism did not fit in Petunia's straight-laced world, so she cut any oddity out. This included Lily. She had tried to reach out to her sister, but after much screaming and fighting, Lily gave up.

As she went through the motions of getting ready to face the day, Lily pondered on Vernon Dudley, her sister's _fiancé_. She shuddered at the thought of Vernon Dudley and fiancé in the same sentence. He looked more like a walrus with a mustache than an actual person to Lily. He didn't know about Lily being a witch and Petunia wished to keep it this way. She hated having to hide the most interesting thing about herself, but it was better not to cross Petunia.

Lily eventually headed down the stairs, hearing Vernon drone on about the drill company he worked for. Even snogging James Potter would be better than facing a day with Vernon.

James Potter woke up to a roar the competed with the Hogwarts Express. Scowling, he turned to the source of the noise. Sirius Black was known for his good looks by all, but his snores were even more infamous to his best friends and dorm mates. James flung a pillow at his best mate and hit right on target. This, however, did nothing to stir the sleeping Sirius. James sighed, knowing Sirius was a heavy sleeper.

"Oi! Sirius! Wake up! A Hungarian Horntail would be jealous of the sound you're producing right now!" James half shouted. All he got was a pause in Sirius's snoring before it restarted, slightly louder this time. "Padfoot!" James yelled as he stood up and stretched. Sirius still did not move. "Ok Padfoot. You leave me no choice mate," James said to his still slumbering friend. He did the one thing that he knew would make Sirius wake up. He ruffled his hair.

"WOAH WOAH WOAH! What do you think you're _doing_?" Sirius shrieked as he shot off the bed and away from James. He looked in the mirror to check the damage. It wasn't bad. His hair was still swoon-worthy.

Sirius had moved in with James after he ran away from home. His pureblood family was well known as Death Eaters and Sirius wanted no part in the Dark Arts. The Potters had readily welcomed Sirius with open arms. James's mother joked that he was her son. Sirius belonged in the Potter household just as James did.

"Let's go get breakfast, handsome," James said to his best friend who was still looking appreciatively at himself in the mirror.

"Right-O Jamie my boy! I do believe I smell Momma Potter's cooking!" Sirius replied brightly. James laughed. His friend had a very healthy appetite. Sirius said he was a growing boy. James said he was a pig. Remus said he was part troll. Peter said nothing. He never said all that much. The four had become friends on the train ride to Hogwarts in their first year. They bonded over Zonko's Joke Shop contraband and chocolate frogs. They were inseparable from that point on. Remus was the voice of reason. He kept the Marauders from getting expelled. James and Sirius were the pranksters and the poster boys. A trail of broken hearts followed them through their years at Hogwarts. Peter was the spare. He didn't do much of anything besides agreeing with the other three.

As they ate breakfast, James's thoughts turned to Lily as they so often did. He would get to see her in three days. James would be forever grateful to Sirius's uncle. He had left the beach house to Sirius specifically. This meant his crazy Death Eater family did not have access to it. James had never been to America and he could hardly wait to see it. He also couldn't wait to see his fiery-haired beauty. James, Sirius, and Remus had been planning ways for James to woo Lily. They came to the conclusion that he should back off and not be so forward. Instead of asking her on dates, he would open doors for her. It would be a hard change, but James knew his best mates would help him whenever he needed them. He caught sight of his mother's emerald ring and was instantly reminded of Lily's eyes. Sirius caught his dazed look and looked at the ring. He shook his head at his friend and snapped his fingers to remind James of his presence.

"Daydreaming of Lily again are you Jamsiepoo?" Sirius snickered.

"Don't pretend like you aren't excited to see Katie" James shot back. Sirius grinned.

"Of course I'm excited to see her! She's bleedin' gorgeous, mate!" Sirius exclaimed. James chuckled, hoping the girls were thinking of them as they thought of them.

**Well there ya go! Hope you enjoyed it! Next chapter: the gang will meet up! What will Lily's reaction to seeing James be? Review to find out!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! Sorry it's been a while! I'm having a blast here in lovely Destin, Florida but I sure do miss you all! A special thanks goes out to i love Leonard Penny and APSM, Dramionelicious (by the way, I do know about AVPM and I love it!), jordanisapotterhead, and weasleytwins12 for reviewing! Reviews truly are what fuel me to write, so keep them coming! Anyways, I hope you enjoy a meeting in the airport!**

**Now onto the story!**

Lily awoke early on Thursday morning and smiled. She had left her home the previous day to stay with Katie. Today was the day they would leave for America and she couldn't be more ecstatic. She hopped from the couch and danced around in circles, promptly twirling over Sara and falling to the floor.

"Oof! Lily, what on earth are you doing?" Sara asked sleepily. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. Katie awoke from the commotion and peered at them blearily.

"Sorry, Sara! I'm just so excited to go to America! You two need to get up anyways! We're heading to the airport in an hour and a half. Looking at the clock, Katie and Sara realized she was right. The girls marched upstairs to Katie's bedroom to get ready for the long plane ride to Florida. Lily put on a floral sundress for the journey. She had never ridden in a plane before and she was slightly nervous. She dispelled her fear and thought only of the white beaches of Florida she had heard of.

The time passed quickly and it was soon time to load the car. As they heaved several suitcases into the back of Katie's mum's car, Sara whispered excitedly to her friends.

"You guys will _love_ American boys," she said with a sly wink. Lily chuckled slightly as an image of a boy with messy black hair and hazel eyes flashed through her mind. James Potter was once again invading her thoughts. This was becoming too frequent for Lily's liking. The two had just become friends and already, Lily's traitorous heart was getting ideas of its own. Her head didn't seem to be disagreeing either.

"Lily, are you alright?" Katie asked, waving a hand in front of her best friends dazed face.

"What? Oh, yeah. I'm fine, K," Lily responded with a small shake of her head.

"Not daydreaming of James, are we now, Lily?" Sara chided, elbowing the now blushing girl in the side.

"Look at her face!" Katie shrieked in the way only girls could. Lily cursed her face for betraying her. "You know you can tell us if you like him Lils. We're your best friends. We tell each other everything."

"I don't like Potter. I barely even tolerate him," Lily retorted. Her words even sounded untruthful to her.

Katie and Sara exchanged a knowing look that Lily didn't like very much. "Let's finish loading our bags guys. We'll be late if we don't," Lily said, hoping her two friends would drop the subject. The girls shrugged their shoulders and followed Lily into the house. They would drop the conversation for now.

Lily could barely prevent herself from bouncing in her seat when they pulled into the airport parking garage. Their flight was in two and a half hours, so there was no reason for them to hurry. Katie's parents walked the girls all the way to security where they hugged each girl as if they were all their daughters. They proceeded through security and went to their gate. Now all there was to do was wait.

Half an hour later, Sara's head snapped up.

"What is it, Sara?" Katie asked, craning her neck in the direction Sara was looking.

"I thought I saw…Oh never mind. I'm just seeing things," she replied, shaking her head.

Katie looked up and nearly laughed. This was truly impossible.

"No, it can't be…" she scoffed.

"But it is…" Sara said, almost excitedly.

"What are you two going on abo…? Oh no," Lily felt her heart skip a beat. Strolling through the gate, towards them were the Marauders, minus Peter. Sirius's trademark smirk was in place when he saw the girls. Remus merely smiled at them sweetly. James, acting surprised to see them, placed a hand on his chest.

"Well fancy this! What are you three lovely ladies doing here?" he asked, feigning innocence.

"The more important question is what are you doing here, Potter?" Lily asked as she stood up and poked James roughly in the chest. He stumbled slightly and rubbed the now sore spot. "Don't you three have something better to do than follow us around?" she spit, not noticing the luggage behind them.

"Well actually, _Evans_, we're here so we can ride a plane," James hissed back. The two kept getting closer to each other.

"You have a broomstick. Use that," she retorted, taking another step forward.

"They aren't good for long journeys, and Florida is quite a long trip," James said, as he too, took a step forward. They were toe to toe now, noses nearly touching.

Lily's eyes widened slightly. "What part of Florida?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"What lovely eyes you have, _Lily_," James practically purred.

The rest of the group watched in awe as Lily slowly leaned into James, her eyes closing. James's face went from shock to joy as he too leaned in. Half a centimeter away, Lily raised her leg and stomped on James's toe. Hard. He leapt back in surprise, clutching his throbbing foot. Sirius fell onto Katie's shoulder, his arm easily wrapping around her as he laughed. Sara and Remus had tears of mirth in their eyes as they laughed together. Lily looked satisfied as James gingerly put his foot back on the ground.

"That's what you get for stalking me, _Potter_," Lily said with venom laced through her tone. She could resist James at school only because she had the summer to reflect on his flaws. Without a break from his presence, Lily wasn't so sure that she could resist his charming smile and his devilishly good looks.

"I love that I can get such a rise out of you Lily," James said as he put his full wait back on his foot," it shows how much you care," he chuckled with a wink.

Lily sighed. This would definitely be a summer she would never forget.

** Well there you go! Next chapter up will be the plane ride to America! What will poor Lily do, trapped next to James for several hours in a very confined space? Review to find out! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Alright guys! Time for another update! Thanks so much to thebiggestpotterfreak, LadyLupin98, lilly-pad 8D, and Darke Whispers for reviewing!**

**Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. I could never dream up someone as wonderful as James. Or Sirius. Or Ron Weasley for that matter, but he isn't in this story. Haha!**

**Now onto the story!**

It was soon time to board the plane and the gang all went to take their seats. Lily and James hadn't spoken to each other very much since she stomped his foot. She was starting to feel guilt eat at her. Stupid conscience.

"James, I'm sorry," Lily spoke barely above a whisper. James almost thought he had imagined it. Lily Evans did not apologize. At least, not to him.

Deciding that she had, in fact, apologized, James replied, "It's alright, Lily. Just please don't try to put me on crutches again." His smile was evident in his tone and Lily knew she was forgiven.

As the six teenagers got closer to the steward checking tickets, Lily started feeling her nervousness from earlier return. What was it like to take off? To fly? She had never been a very competent flyer when they first learned at Hogwarts. What would happen if they got caught in a storm? How did such a large body of metal stay in the air? Would they land safely?

James saw the evident fear in Lily's eyes as she alternated between biting her lip and fingernails. Deciding to take a bold step, he took her hand in his own.

Lily was surprised at how well her hand fit in James's. She was also surprised by how much she loved the warmth of his big hand seeping into her smaller one. She was too shocked to pull away or even protest. Her fear seemed to melt away when she looked in his eyes. She felt she could do anything. While holding James's hand, she could conquer the world. She could definitely ride a plane.

"Lily, calm down. It's just a little plane ride," James said soothingly as he rubbed his thumb against the back of Lily's hand. He could hardly believe his luck. He was not only holding Lily's hand, but she hadn't even slapped him yet or made an attempt to get away. It made him worry about how scared she actually was. Lily finally dropped his hand after giving it a quick squeeze of thanks.

As the young stewardess showed them to their seats, Lily actually felt relief when she saw that James was right next to her. She liked the comfort she felt from his presence. This warm feeling of happiness dissipated when she saw the stewardess eying James hungrily. Lily felt deep hate settle in her stomach. She was shocked at herself. She had no reason to dislike the girl for simply looking at James. He wasn't hers, but even as she thought this, an image of tackling the girl crossed her mind.

"Would you like me to help you with your seatbelt?" she purred as she leered at James.

"What?" Lily's head screeched. She acted without thinking as she turned to the girl.

"I think I've got him covered. Thanks so much though," she said in a sickeningly sweet voice, throwing a glare in for dramatic effect. When the girl still didn't leave, Lily sighed internally. She leaned over James and buckled his seatbelt for him, making sure t brush his legs as she did so. She heard a huff as the blonde bombshell turned on her heel and stomped off. James looked like he had gone into shock. Sirius had an incredulous look on his face. Katie and Sara were grinning like idiots. Remus shook his head and laughed.

"W-w-why on earth did you do that?" James asked, nearly choking on his own spit. He was still trying to steady his breathing. Lily had never gotten that close to him twice in one day. Come to think of it, she had never gotten that close to him until that day. One second she was perfectly normally and the next, she was practically throwing herself in his lap.

"She needed to be put in her place," Lily replied dismissively. Katie high-fived her best friend and laughed. She had always had the sneaking suspicion that Lily liked James, but there was simply no denying it now. She furtively glanced at Sara who gave her a wink. They would never let Lily live this down.

"Bloody hell, mate," Sirius laughed as he ran a hand through his hair, "she only put your seatbelt on. Don't look like you just got laid!" This earned him a playful smack from Katie.

The light that indicated they were about to take off flashed as everyone took their seats and buckled up.

Lily turned to James. "Sorry if I embarrassed you, James. I couldn't help it. That girl was practically undressing you with her eyes!"

James chuckled. "It's ok, Lily. You can be protective over me anytime you like. Just give me a little warning next time." His classic smirk was back in place. Lily thought about removing that smirk with her own lips when the pilot came on over the intercom.

"Good morning, ladies and gentleman. We will be taking off momentarily. Please make sure all of your carry-ons are stored properly and your seatbelt is fastened. We will be flying nonstop to Perdido Key, Florida. Estimated flight time is thirteen hours and twelve minutes. We will alert you when it is safe to move about the cabin. We hope you enjoy your flight!" The voice crackled away as the stewardesses went to their seats in the front of the plane. Lily scowled at the blonde one and Sirius laughed upon seeing her face.

"She's territorial, James! It's kind of a turn on!" he half-shouted.

"Sirius, you're such a prat," Remus said, thumping Sirius on the back of the head.

"Ouch, Mooney! That hurt," Sirius frowned.

"Are you serious? He barely tapped you!" James retorted.

"Yes I am Sirius. Good gracious, you should know my name by now, Prongs!" Sirius replied, laughing at his own joke.

"I really don't know why your folks named you that. You are anything but serious, Sirius," Remus mused. The girls sat back and laughed at the conversation the boys were having.

"How many times have we had this conversation? Like, seriously?" James asked.

"My middle name isn't Lee! How many times must I tell you this! After six years, you'd think your best friends would know your name," Sirius sobbed, melodramatically wiping fake tears from his face.

"Oh give it a rest, Padfoot. Seriously. And if you say one word, I'll hex your hair off," James said menacingly. Sirius threw his hands over his head as if James had already hexed him. James knew the hair jibe was a low blow, but at least it shut him up.

The plane turned onto the runway and Lily looked out the window. Dread filled her stomach as she worried about everything that could go wrong? What if the crashed? What if they ran out of fuel? What if she got nauseous and had to use a sick bag? She shuddered in horror at the thought.

"Just breathe, Lily. Everything is fine," James said, completely at ease. As the plane started to speed down the runway, Lily gripped her seat. When she felt the wheels leave the ground, her hand flew to James's upper thigh. They both looked at her hand before James covered it with his own. Lily's breathe quickened as James gently squeezed her hand before patting it. "Now that wasn't so bad was it?" he asked.

"I suppose not," Lily replied, not moving her hand. For the first time, James seemed unsure of what to do. Lily loved his uncertainty. It made him seem much more likeable. Every bad thought she had ever had of him erased when he raised her hand to his lips and gave it a quick peck. She smiled as he brought her hand back to his lap and played with her fingers. Maybe James was right. Maybe plane rides weren't so bad after all.

After thirteen hours, three screams from Lily over turbulence, and a nap on James's shoulder, the plane touched down in Florida. Lily had gripped James's hand as the wheels bumped down on the pavement. He had never felt so happy in his life. For thirteen straight hours, he had not fought with Lily in any way besides being playful. The two had swapped stories of their childhoods, talked about their classmates at Hogwarts, discussed their plans for the future, and even laughed about some of their nastiest arguments. James's hand had felt cold when Lily wasn't holding it, but the sound of her laughter had warmed him. Her smile was infectious and he loved making her show it. Right then, James vowed to make Lily Evans smile every day, for the rest of his life.

**Ok, together now. One. Two. Three. Awwwwh! I couldn't resist throwing a lot of fluff in there! Hope you enjoyed it! Now, together again. One. Two. Three. Review! Review! Review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Howdy there ya'll! Haha As you can see, I'm in a very happy mood. Does this mean fluff? Most likely! Anyways, a thousand thanks yous go out to Dramionelicious, lilly-pad 8D, and weasleytwins12 for reviewing! You all are truly wonderful! **

**Disclaimer: I do not have the mental capacity to dream up such a great work of literature such as Harry Potter, thus it does not belong to me. **

**Now onto the story!**

The airport was crowded as the gang made their way through the terminal. The three Marauders had had a fit of gallantry at luggage claims, insisting on carrying the girls' luggage. Sirius had made the mistake of under sizing Katie's bag. He went to pick it up as he passed and was thrown backwards to the ground by the weight of it. James and Remus had collapsed against each other in fits of laughter at the sight of their disheveled friend in a heap on the floor. Katie smugly pulled the handle from her suitcase and rolled it away with ease. Lily offered Sirius her hand to help him up as she tried to regain composure. Batting her hand away, Sirius leapt up from the ground and raced to catch up with Katie, taking the handle from her and effectively taking her hand in his. James shook his head at his best mate and grabbed Lily's bags. Remus followed suit and Sara and Lily brought up the rear.

"So I guess you love flying now, huh Lils?" Sara asked in a hushed voice. Lily started in surprise and blushed. Sara merely grinned back and pulled her camera from her bag and scrolled through her pictures. When she handed Lily the camera, she saw an image of herself, asleep on James's shoulder with his head on top of hers. They both wore identical smiles on their faces and their hands were intertwined on Lily's lap. It was possibly her favorite image ever and she quickly stored it to memory.

Sara saw the tenderness in Lily's eyes and smiled. Katie had turned to talk to Lily and had happened upon the pair snoozing. She had gestured wildly for Sara to take a picture. Sirius had wanted to flip James on the nose but the other three convinced him to not disturb the two.

"I'll make you a copy if you like," Sara said to Lily. She shyly nodded, not meeting Sara's eyes.

Katie rejoined her friends at that point and saw the picture. She grinned and turned to Lily who was looking at James with a fondness Katie had never seen. James turned around and gave Lily a rewarding smile when he saw her. Lily quickly dropped her gaze to the floor and shuffled her feet awkwardly.

"Lily, you can't deny him forever. Eventually, he won't come back," Katie said softly, giving Lily a meaningful look. Lily recoiled at the idea of James stopping his efforts to win her over. To Lily, James was a permanent fixture in her life. He was always there, stalwart and faithful. But then, Katie's words sunk in. They were entering their seventh and final year at Hogwarts. What would happen to James? She couldn't expect him to chase her around her entire life. No. They would go their separate ways, never looking back, unless, she finally accepted her feelings for him. If she admitted what she felt to James, she knew he would never leave her. He would stay by her side til the end.

"I'm just so afraid that he'll realize that I'm not so wonderful like he thinks I am," Lily admitted. She would only ever discuss her insecurities with Katie and Sara.

"Lily, that boy worships the ground you walk on! He's known you for six years now. He knows almost everything there is to know. If anything, he'll think you're even more wonderful," Sara said firmly, giving Lily a pointed look. Katie nodded her agreement.

"I just don't know how to do it. To take that step. I've pushed him away for as long as I can remember, I'm not sure if I know how to let my guard down," Lily sighed, feeling defeated.

"Lily Evans! Did you see yourself on that plane ride? You were someone I barely knew! You were so carefree. I've never seen you laugh that easily around anyone but us. It was like you had no worries," Katie asserted this by taking hold of Lily's shoulders.

"James did that, Lils," Sara butted in, "he took your worries and fears away. You were so scared about that plane ride, but when he sat down next to you, I saw you visibly relax." Lily remembered the feeling of invincibility she had felt when she held James's hand.

"I don't know you guys…" Lily trailed off, sneaking another look at James.

"Just try to let him in. For us?" Katie pleaded.

"Alright, I'll let my guard down, but don't expect me to be throwing myself at him like everyone else," Lily laughed.

"We don't expect that," Sara giggled, "you wouldn't be Lily if you did."

The three walked arm-in-arm to the car rental booth where the boys were standing.

"Let's get a sports car!"

"No, Sirius. Remember that Mustang you rented? It was destroyed!"

"Yeah, but this is different! It's a _Ferrari_! I'll be super careful, Moony!"

"Tell him, Prongs. Tell him it's not a good idea."

"My vote is for the Jeep. We could go off roading! And it would be really good for the beach."

"But they're so small."

"Are you a wizard or not! Undetectable extension charm!"

"Oh yeah! That could work, Prongs! You're brilliant!"

"You're just now figuring that out, Padfoot?"

The girls snickered at the boys' antics. The stepped to the counter and grabbed a book of cars they could rent. The flipped through the pages and they all gasped at the ostentatious car gleaming in the picture. They looked at each other, all smiling like idiots. They went over to the man running the booth to rent the car.

"Sir, we would like to rent this car, please?" Lily said politely.

The man glanced at the page and his eyes widened. "Are you sure you girls can handle this car? It's meant for speed you know," he said, looking between them.

"Oh, we won't be driving it. Our boyfriends will. They're over there," Sara said nodding to the Marauders. She threw a wink to Katie and Lily who looked shell shocked.

"Well, alright," the man said gruffly as he shuffled for the paper work, "be careful with this one, girls. She's a really beauty." They all nodded at the man as he handed them two sets of keys.

The boys finally went with a red Jeep and signed their papers.

Grinning, Sirius asked, "What did you ladies get? A Volkswagen Beetle?"

"It's sitting right out front," Lily said offhandedly.

"Where?" James asked, searching through the cars. "I only see our Jeep and that Aston Martin Vanquish…. Hang on a bleedin' minute!" he nearly choked as he looked at the car. It was the fastest car he had ever seen and he didn't like the thought of Lily in the death trap. "You girls are not driving that thing. You'll get yourselves killed!"

"Excuse me?" Lily asked incredulously, her temper rising. "Are you suggesting we can't drive as well as you?"

"Uh oh," Katie mouthed to Sara. She nodded, her eyes widening as Lily and James kept getting louder. Sirius and Remus shook their heads and started loading the bags in the Jeep and the Vanquish. They furtively cast extension charms on the vehicles, making the luggage fit easily. When they returned, the fighting had escalated

"You are not getting in that car, Lily!" James yelled.

"That's not up to you, James!" Lily spat.

"Alright, you lovebirds. Cool it!" Sirius called as he stepped between the seething couple.

"Sirius, she'll get herself killed in that thing!" James said desperately.

"Jamsie, I suggest you say sorry to Lily-pad. We won't get a ride in that beautiful car if she's angry with you," Sirius warned James, putting a hand on his chest.

"Lily, I'm sorry. I just don't want you to get hurt. I wasn't trying to say any of you are bad drivers, but some people are. I just don't want you or Katie or Sara in an accident," he finally said, looking adorable and pathetic with his head dropped.

"It's fine, James. I appreciate your concern, but we are just as likely to get in a wreck with you driving than one of us," Lily replied, her temper cooling.

As the left, James hesitated as he went to climb in the Jeep. Lily saw him mutter something to Remus and Sirius before he bounded over to the Vanquish.

"Budge over, Sara," He said as he slid into the seat behind Lily. Katie gave her a look before she pulled out onto the highway behind Remus.

Lily felt James play with her hair and instantly felt drowsy. She leaned back to give his hands better access. She frowned when his fingers left her hair but groan contentedly as they kneaded her shoulders. She could feel him smirking behind her.

"I can make you make other noises if you like, Lily," he said smugly. This earned him a playful smacked from Lily. Sara and Katie laughed.

The drove a little longer before Lily's eyes started drooping. Between the jetlag and James's talented hands, she felt sleep take hold of her.

James smiled down on her as he heard her breathe deepen and even out. A small, happy smile played on her mouth. He leaned down a pressed his lips to her forehead. Katie and Sara looked at him grinning.

"What?" he asked, getting redder by the minute.

"Nothing," they sang together, sharing a knowing look.

"Women," James murmured under his breath as he looked down at his beautiful Lily once more.

**Too much fluff? If it is, just let me know. Oh, and if there are any time differences (Lily and James were in Hogwarts in the 70s) just ignore them. That's why this if fanfiction! Hope you all enjoyed chapter 6! Now, REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**


	7. Chapter 7

** Hello all! I am now home from the beach so updates will be a little more frequent! I'm not promising everyday but I will do my best! Loslote, pottergoose, thebiggestpotterfreak, and Dramionelicious, thank you ever so much for reviewing my darlings!**

** A few things before we get this chapter rolling:**

**Would you guys totally hate it if I had some singing in this fic? This would be Lily singing to James and/or vice/versa.**

**If you have any fun ideas for the gang to do, let me know!**

***answers to these may be left in a review if you so please!**

**Also, I have posted some links on my profile if you would like to see Sara's beach house or Sirius's! There also some pictures of their rooms. I do realize these are extremely ostentatious, but in my little fantasy world, the families are loaded! Haha**

**Disclaimer: These fantastic, recognizable characters belong to Jo, not me. Though, I do plan on marrying a very Jamesish/Siriusish man **

**And after all that…**

**Now onto the story!**

Lily awoke to the sound of waves crashing on the beach and the balmy smell of the ocean. And something else. Though she was certain she had smelled the scent before, she could not identify it, but she didn't complain. It smelled absolutely incredible. Then she was moving.

"Bloody hell! Someone's carrying me!" she thought. She peeked through her curtain of hair to see James Potter looking down at her adoringly. "Uh oh," she thought, "I guess that plane ride _wasn't _a dream after all." She thought about what to do to get out of this predicament. Not that she minded being cradled in James's well muscled arms, but surely he didn't need to hold her _that_ close.

Pretending to stir, Lily yawned. "Potter," she said, referring back to his surname, "what on earth are you doing?"

"Practicing for when I carry you over the threshold, of course," he replied without missing a beat.

Lily gaped at his boldness. James put on his trademark smirk and through her a wink for good measure. This of course sent her heart racing.

"Traitorous thing!" she thought as her heart tried to beat through her chest. "Settle down or he'll hear you!"

James chuckled at Lily's blush but remembered the plan he had made with Sirius and Remus. Be respectful and friendly, not pushy and arrogant.

"Would you like me to put you down, Lily?" he asked sweetly.

"Yes, please." She replied. He lowered her to her feet as if holding something exceedingly fragile. He kept his hands near her as she steadied herself and was rewarded with an angelic smile from Lily. "Thank you, James." He shuddered at how wonderful it sounded to her his name coming from her lips.

Once she tore her gaze away from James's breathtaking smile, she finally looked at the house.

"If this is some sort of joke, I will be extremely upset," Katie said as she gawked at the house, if you could really call it that.

"It's beautiful," Lily breathed as she stared at their summer home alongside Katie.

The house was more like a mansion. It was two stories with windows all around it. The inside was open and stunning. The backyard was the beach. The wraparound deck housed a large hot tub that could easily seat twelve. Two balconies overlooked the back porch and another balcony could be seen jutting out on the side, though it was higher than the other two.

Lily looked at Katie with a goofy grin as she grabbed her best friend and did a happy dance. James looked on the scene, amused by the two girls. Sara walked over and giggled at her two friends.

"So where is Sirius's house?" she asked casually.

"Well seeing as they just pulled in next door, I'm gonna say there," James said, pointing to the house directly left of Sara's.

Sirius's beach house was just as grand as Sara's. His house was two stories as well, with a large wraparound porch on both levels. The swimming pool on the back deck was enormous and James was just itching to jump in it and cool off from the Florida heat.

"Oi! Sirius!" he called as his best mate jumped out of the passenger seat. "Let's unpack really fast and go for a swim!"

"Alright, mate! Sounds peachy to me!" Sirius replied as he went to grab his bags.

"If you ladies will excuse me, I'm going to go unpack. Do you need help with your luggage first?" James asked politely. Lily was impressed and it showed on her face.

"I think we can mange, Casanova," Sara replied. Lily laughed as James and Katie looked on with a perplexed look.

"What is that?" they both asked.

"Wizard kids," Lily chortled.

"They know nothing about the _real_ world," Sara agreed.

"Muggleborns are weird," Katie said. James nodded his response.

"You didn't think we were so weird when I let you watch those Disney movies, Katie!" Lily laughed.

"What in the name of Merlin's saggy bum is a 'Dizknee moovey'?" James asked, looking baffled.

All three girls gasped at his ignorance towards what they considered one of the best things in life.

"What are you three on about?" Remus asked as he and Sirius strolled over beside James.

"Have you two ever heard of a 'Dizknee moovey'? I certainly haven't." James said, looking back and forth at his friends.

"Can't say I have," Remus replied, shaking his head.

"Is it a dance move or something?" Sirius asked. "I'm a great dancer!" he said as he shot Katie a wink.

"Girls, I see we have our work cut out for us," Sara said as she looked at the boys. "Sirius do you have a home theatre in your house?"

"No. Why?" he asked, cocking his head to one side.

"I do. Alright! Slumber party at my house tonight! You three can sleep in the guest rooms downstairs or just go back to Sirius's house when we're done watching the movies," she said, her mind already concocting snacks for the group to have.

"Question," James said, raising his hand as if he needed permission. Sara rolled her eyes at him as she nodded her head for him to continue. "Can we unpack first? And go swimming?" he asked with pleading eyes. Lily swooned but only Katie caught the look on her face. Lily hid the look quickly with a smirk.

"Of course, James. But only if we're allowed to come over and swim!" Lily responded. Sirius nodded his approval as he headed back to the Jeep.

"Just come over whenever you get done unpacking," he called over his shoulder.

The girls bid the Marauders goodbye and went inside the enormous house. Sara showed them each room on the bottom floor. They nearly fainted when they saw the theatre room. On one wall there was a large canvas screen to show the movies. The rest of the room contained a large sectional couch and several large bean bags. There was even a popcorn machine and Coke vendor in the corner. The place could not get any better. Until they saw their bedrooms.

Sara showed them her room first. It was incredibly elegant and completely Sara. The room was decorated in creams with a large fireplace and a large crystal chandelier. She summoned her suitcase and with a flick of her wand, all her belongings flew to the correct place.

Next, she went to Katie's room. When Sara pushed the door open, Katie squealed and hugged the girl. Her room was spacious with hard wood floors, a large bed, and lots of seating. She repeated Sara's actions and magicked her clothes away.

When they finally stood outside Lily's room, she could barely contain her excitement. Sara turned the handle and Lily was speechless when she saw the beautiful room. It was a room fit for royalty. It was decorated in an updated Victorian style. The bed was large with a canopy around it. In the corner, there was a spiral staircase that led to a deck with chairs just like the ones outside the rooms of her friends. Katie waved her wand and put Lily's things away since she was still underage. Lily smiled gratefully.

"Alright, ladies! Time to get our swim on!" Katie exclaimed. "Quite frankly, I'm dying to see Sirius without a shirt on," she grinned.

"Uh huh! I bet!" Lily retorted. "We saw that hand holding action in the airport, K!" Sara nodded fervently as Katie blushed.

"I seriously about melted when he did that," she admitted with an impish grin on her face.

"We're going to have to stop saying any form of the word 'serious'," Sara said, remembering Sirius's horrible joke.

"Agreed," said Katie and Lily.

"So guys…," Sara trailed off, dragging her toe back and forth along the floor.

"Yes, Sara dear?" Katie prodded gently.

Sara hesitated slightly before her words came tumbling out. "IthinkIlikeRemus," she rushed.

"Come again?" Lily asked.

Sara took a deep breath and slowed down. "I think I like Remus," she said evenly.

Lily and Katie stared at her before they both broke into grins.

"Awh! Sara! You two would be utterly adorable!" Katie exclaimed as she hugged her friend.

"As would you and Sirius, Katie!" Sara replied, hugging the girl back.

"Know who else would make a good couple?" Katie asked.

"Katie, no," Lily said firmly.

"Lily and James!" Sara squealed.

"Ding ding ding! We have a winner!" Katie yelled into an imaginary microphone. "Your prize is an excursion to the pool next door with your two favorite people in the world!"

"I don't know about favorite in the _world_," Sara laughed.

"Hey!" Lily cried indignantly as she hit Sara with a pillow. They all laughed until they were clutching their sides and gasping for air. "Go get dressed you two," Lily said once she regained some composure. As the two girls stood up and walked to their own rooms, Lily selected her black bikini and out it on. She grabbed at towel, sunscreen, and sunglasses before heading downstairs. Katie came down in a sky blue bikini. She was followed by Sara who was wearing a red one.

"Let's go!" Lily exclaimed. She couldn't believe her luck. She was in a fabulous house with her two best friends right on the beach. Their summer would be filled with fun no matter what they did, but to add to the fun, they had three boys that knew how to have a good time right next door. Lily could already feel her heart opening to James and she was becoming surer by the minute that she liked this. She was ready to let go and have the summer (and the ride) of her life.

**Well there you go! Go check out the links if you like! Next up, we have the pool (along with some rockin' body action ;) ) and the movie marathon!**

**As always, REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys! Alright, it's time for another chapter! Hope you all enjoy it! Thank you to winnie11, thebiggestpotterfreak, weasleytwins12, Dramionelicios, and Dobby'sPolkaDottedSocks for reviewing!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. If I did I would not be on here. I also don't own Disney or any of their movies. If I did, I would live in Cinderella's castle!**

**Now onto the story!**

James, Sirius, and Remus were having a water war when the girls walked over. James stopped his splashing immediately once he caught sight of Lily. He had never seen her in so little clothing, and he was not disappointed. As he stared, a blush crept onto Lily's cheeks.

Sirius, always the boldest, hopped out of the pool and walked over to Katie.

"Sirius, what are you doING!" Katie shrieked midword as Sirius threw her over his shoulder and jumped in with her. She came up spluttering and fixed Sirius with a glare.

"You looked hot. I thought you needed to cool off," he shrugged. Katie splashed him playfully as she swam away. Sirius grinned as he went to follow her.

Lily decided she was in desperate need of a tan and went over to one of the lawn chairs to lay out. She could not be held responsible for her actions towards James when he was only half clothed. "Washboard" did not do his abs justice. It was more like they were chiseled by a God. Lily shook her head at this thought and closed her eyes. She was basking in the heat from the sun when she felt a drop of water. Then another. And another. And then she was covered in a shower of water droplets. Her eyes shot open as she sat up to find James shaking his wet hair on her.

"James!" she cried as she attempting to shield herself. When he finally stopped, Lily tried to give him her best scowl but her laughter took over. James broke into a brilliant smile at the sound of her chime-like laughter.

"Come swimming, Lily," he pleaded. The look he gave Lily was too adorable for her to refuse. She stood from her chair and threw her sunglasses in her bag.

"Last one there is a blast-ended screwt!" she yelled as she ran to the pool. James took off behind her and jumped in just after her.

"I am not a blast-ended screwt!" James said as Lily resurfaced. She laughed at his pouting and swam over to Sara who was talking to Remus. She immediately began backing away when she saw the evil glint in Sara's eye.

"Let's play chicken!" she exclaimed, staring directly at Lily.

"What's that?" Sirius asked.

"Wizard kids," Sara said, rolling her eyes playfully. "It's as game you play in the pool. You get on someone's shoulders and then you try to knock another person off their partner's shoulders. It's fun!"

"I call Katie!" Sirius hollered. Sara grabbed Remus's arm.

"I guess that leaves you with me, Lily," James grinned.

"Oh dear Lord," Lily thought. She gave James a smile, hoping she didn't embarrass herself too horribly.

"Come on, Jamsie! Put her on your shoulders and we'll battle!" Sirius already had Katie perched on his shoulders. "Katie," he called, glancing up at her.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Don't pull my hair, ok?" he said seriously. Katie rolled her eyes and tugged his hair playfully. He gasped, thinking she had messed it up.

"Alright, Lily. Climb on," James said as he crouched in the water. Lily looked at him nervously before scrambling up his back. She shrieked as he stood up and wrapped her arms tightly around his head.

"Lily, I can't see," James said as he gently pried her hands from his face. "I won't drop you. I promise," he said as he patted her knee reassuringly.

Knowing she trusted him, Lily loosened her grip and placed her hands on the top of his head as he turned to face Sirius.

"You're going down mate," James snarled at his friend.

"Oh no, my dear friend. It is you who's going down. And your pretty Lily, too," Sirius threw his head back in a mock-evil laugh, slightly unseating Katie. "Oops! Sorry, K," He said. She just grinned down at him as she steadied herself.

"Ready?" Remus asked, standing between the two teams. As they both nodded, he called, "One, Two, Three, Go!" and backed away.

The girls giggled as Sirius and James staggered toward each other. It was a battle of arms for Katie and Lily as they shoved each other. Below them, James was trying to swipe Sirius's legs from underneath him as Sirius stepped on his toes. Sara and Remus laughed at the concentration on their faces as they attempted to knock each other over. Finally, just as James knocked one of Sirius's legs back, Lily gave Katie a shove. She laughed as she fell, bringing Sirius with her. He came up, his hair a mess. Expecting a fit, James backed away. But Sirius only shook his hair from his eyes and turned to Katie laughing.

"You couldn't just fall could you? You had to bring me with you," he said as he chuckled. James was in shock. Sirius's beloved hair was a mess and he was _laughing_? He looked to Remus and saw the same look in his eyes, but then he nodded to Katie and understanding washed over James.

"We needed Katie all along," James mused. Lily looked at him, confused. "Sirius should be pitching a fit about his hair right now, but because of Katie, he isn't," he explained. Lily nodded as she looked at the pair.

After several more rounds of chicken and much pruning of fingers and toes, the sun began to set.

"Time to go get snacks!" Lily said. The boys went into the house and the girls went next door to change. After a quick shower they were ready to go.

"Let's just take one car," Sara suggested.

"Where are we going?" Remus asked.

"The grocery store, of course," Lily responded as she slid into the Vanquish.

"Growsherrie store?" Sirius asked, scrunching his nose up at the sound.

"Yes, the grocery store," Katie said as she sat down. She had been to the grocery store with Sara and Lily several times. "It's where you buy food," she explained.

Sara hopped in the driver's seat, and thanks to the undetectable expansion charm, there was plenty of room for Katie, Sirius, Lily, and James to sit in the back seat. Remus sat up front with Sara.

They pulled into the Food City parking lot and grabbed a buggy.

"What is that?" James asked, pointed at the metal cage on wheels.

"It's a buggy," Lily said, "you put your groceries in it so you don't have to carry them." James nodded seriously as he considered it for a moment. Lily could literally see the light bulb go off in his head as he smiled. "What is it?" she asked.

"Hold that thing still, please," he said.

Lily did as she was told and watched as James crawled into the buggy like a small child. He didn't quite fit in it. His long legs were dangling out the end and his arms draped over the sides.

"Oi! Sirius! Remus! Hop in one of these!" he called to his friends. They both had the same mischievous smile as James as they, too climbed in the buggies.

` "Let's go, Lily!" James said brightly. Lily rolled her eyes at his childish antics, but still pushed him through the store. They got a lot of funny looks as they made their way to the snack aisle, but James didn't seem to notice as he gazed at all the shelves of food.

"So this is how muggles get their food?" he asked as Lily considered what sweets to get.

"Hmmm? Oh, yeah. Nothing special," she shrugged as she went to the drinks.

"But there's so much! How is it not special?" he asked with childlike wonder. Lily smiled at the innocent gleam in his eyes as he took in all the food. Being with him like this, Lily could almost see herself dating him. Almost. There were still some things she was unsure about, but she was getting there. She could hear the gossip at school now. People would be shocked at Lily and James being together. If they did get together, that was.

Lily was broken from her thoughts when she saw James attempting to open a bag of chips. She smacked his hand and snatched the bag away.

"Oh, you want some of those things too? There's plenty more, Lily," he said, eying the bag of chips.

"James, you can't just open these in the middle of the store. You have to pay for them first," she explained, feeling like the mother of a small child.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't know," he said sheepishly. Lily just smiled down at him and ruffled his already messy hair.

After an hour in the grocery store and several outbursts of excitement from the boys, the girls finally dragged them back to the car.

"Are we going to come back?" Remus asked as he looked back at the store sadly.

"I'm sure we will, Remus," Sara replied, rubbing his back.

"That place is so fun! And look at this magic bouncing ball I got out of a machine thingy! We have to play the claw game next time! I want one of those fluffy bears!" Sirius exclaimed, excitement evident on his face. Lily groaned. It had been nearly impossible getting him past the machines full of goodies. He had only left when Katie put a quarter in a machine and got him a bouncy ball. He had been extremely protective of it ever since. When James asked to bounce it, Sirius had growled. Literally.

"Watch this!" Sirius yelled. Lily knew what was going to happen before it occurred. Sirius threw the ball on the ground hard. It bounced off his shoe and rolled underneath a car nearby. "No! No, no, no, no, no!" he cried, chasing after his new toy. "Moony! Prongs!" he called pitifully. "My ball apparated!" he sniffed.

The girls were trying to contain their laughter as all three boys surrounded the car the ball was under. "Watch this," Sara whispered. "_Accio_ ball!" she breathed. The ball came zooming into her hand and she hid it her purse. All three Marauders were now on their hands and knees as they desperately searched for the ball.

"I don't see it anywhere, Sirius," Remus said, muffled from being under the car.

"Me either, mate," James called as he too crawled on the ground. Sirius plopped down, depressed. Katie walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"We'll get a new one next time, Sirius. One of the really big ones that cost a dollar," she soothed. Sirius gave her a small smile as he sat up. He cast an angry look at the car that had apparently eaten his ball as James and Remus stood up. They dusted off before getting back in the car.

"I still don't understand where it went!" Remus exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. Lily covered her laugh by faking a coughing fit. James gently patted her back.

"Don't worry about it boys. We'll get a new one next time," Katie said. Sirius nodded fervently.

When they finally pulled in the driveway, they all grabbed a bag and took them inside. The groceries were unloaded quickly. Sara went upstairs and grabbed all the blankets and pillows she could find while Lily and Katie started the popcorn machine. Sirius jumped as if he had been shot when the first kernel popped. James laughed and Sirius tackled him to the ground. This led to a wrestling match that Remus was pulled into also. Katie and Lily watched on in amusement.

"What are they doing?" Sara asked as she walked through the door laden down with blankets and pillows. Lily started unloading her arms as she said, "The popcorn scared Sirius and he tackled James because he laughed. That led to a wrestling match and Remus joined in when Sirius kicked him instead of James."

Sara laughed as she went to find the movies. Katie had finally had enough of the wrestling match and started throwing pillows. When this did not deter them, she sat on the tangled mess of arms and les and hair.

"Katie!"

"Urgh! Get off me!"

"Ouch! That's my foot!"

Lily chuckled as Katie got up. She brushed herself off and plopped down on a bean bag. Sirius grabbed one and dragged it beside her. Sara came back in with the movies and smiled.

"Are you boys done fighting now?" she asked.

"I suppose," James sighed dramatically, " Katie sat on us and we couldn't move."

"Hey!" Katie cried indignantly as she chucked a chocolate bar at James. He caught it easily and unwrapped it. "Pig!" Katie said as James smirked.

Sara rolled her eyes as she put the movie in.

"What are we watching?" Remus asked as he pulled a bean bag beside Sara.

"You'll see!" she sang happily. Lily immediately recognized the movie as Sleeping Beauty and smiled. It was one of her favorites. As the movie progresses and Malificent was introduced, Sirius snorted.

"She looks like McGonagall!" he exclaimed. This left everyone in hysteria as tears ran from their eyes from the laughter that overtook them. Once they sobered up, they continued with the movie.

"Go, Phillip, go," James muttered as the prince fought with dragon-Malificent. He smiled once he killed her with his sword. Lily swore she saw a tear in Sirius's eye as the prince awoke Aurora with true love's first kiss.

"That was really good," Remus commented as Sara went to change movies. When Lily saw the title, she squealed. James quirked an eyebrow at her, obviously thinking she was crazy.

"This one is my favorite," she explained, "I've always loved Ariel because she has red hair." James smiled at her endearingly as he turned to face the screen.

The night continued like this as they watched all the classic princess movies. Sirius declared his favorite was Aladdin because Jafar reminded him of Snape. James liked Beauty and the Beast because of the talking knick-knacks. Remus favored Pocahontas because of the actual history behind it.

As the credits rolled for Cinderella, light snores could be heard throughout the room. Sara was using Remus's stomach as a pillow. Katie had fallen asleep holding Sirius's hand. Lily and James were sleeping on the couch, their faces barely a breath away from each other.

James stirred as the TV brightened and smiled at the sight of Lily. He brushed her hair back from her face and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Sweet dreams, Lily," he whispered, "You will always be my princess."

**Fluffy enough? I believe so! Longest chapter yet! Woohoo! Now show me some love! **

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! **


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you all so much for the support! A HUGE thank you goes out to every-rose-has-a-thorn, weasleytwins12, Dramionelicious, MortalFire101, roflshvuakomail, Dobby'sPolkaDottedSocks, and Real Men Play Quidditch! You guys truly are my inspiration and for that, my heart goes out to you all.**

**Now it's time for some more fluffiness!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own these beautiful characters, sadly Nor do I own "Hey Soul Sister"**

**Now onto the story!**

James awoke to the sound of light snores and the smell of strawberries. He nuzzled closer to Lily and inhaled the sweet scent of her shampoo. He smiled at the adorable look on her face. Her mouth was open in a small "O" as she snored quietly. He couldn't bear to wake her from her peaceful slumber so he turned his attention to the TV.

` As the mindless sitcom continued, James started to drift back to sleep until a familiar image came on the screen. He shot up from the couch when he saw Cinderella's castle. Only, it wasn't a vartoon like the movie. It was real. Then Cinderella herself appeared on the screen, hugging a small girl as she waved her princess wave at the camera.

"Disney World?" James mused under his breath. He looked down at Lily and back to the screen as he broke into a grin. "Sirius! Remus!" he whispered harshly, hoping he didn't wake the girls.

"James?" Remus asked sleepily. Sirius didn't move an inch. "I'll get him," Remus sighed as he went to wake the slumbering Sirius.

"Don't wake Katie!" James said urgently. Remus nodded as he covered Sirius's mouth with his hand to keep him quiet. A good poke in the side stirred him and he sent daggers at Remus. His look softened as he gently untangled his hand from Katie's so he didn't disturb her. They all got up and exited the room as quietly as possible.

"What in the name of Merlin do you want this early, James?" Remus asked as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Can either of you use a...a..starts with a c….computer! Can either of you use a computer?" James asked, waving his hands frantically. Sirius started to raise his hand. "And it not end up in flames," James said firmly and Sirius slowly dropped his hand.

"I could probably figure one out," Remus said.

"Brilliant! Let's go!" They took off through the house, quietly opening each door until they found a computer. Remus sat down and started pecking at the keyboard and the monitor glowed to life. James smiled and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Now what?" he asked.

"Ummm…use the 'enternet' to look up 'Disney World'," James said. Remus nodded as he turned to the monitor, scanning the screen seriously. His face lifted in a smile when he found the world icon and clicked it. He typed 'Disney World' into the search engine and hit 'Enter'. He clicked on the first suggested site and He and Sirius gasped.

"Oh my goblin!" Sirius exclaimed. "It's just like from the movie with the shoe! Cinderella! Only it's _real_…" he breathed in amazement.

"I know!" James cried excitedly. "It's a whole world just like those movies they showed us! They would love it! We have to go!" Remus and Sirius nodded their agreement as they ordered tickets.

"Guys, I have another idea, but it might be hard to pull off." James warned. He told them his idea and they both grinned. James got on the phone and made some calls, his grin steadily growing.

"Yes Ma'am. Thanks very much. Ok, see you then." He said as he hung up.

"We're golden boys!" he exclaimed.

The Marauders let out a whoop of joy and did their top secret Marauder handshake.

"Let's make some breakfast for three beautiful ladies," Remus said as he put an arm around both of his best friends, steering them towards the kitchen.

Lily shot off the couch when she heard a scream and smelled smoke. She looked to Katie and Sara in fear and saw the same bewilderment in their faces. They each went for their wands and dashed towards the sound of the commotion. They stopped just outside the door that led to the kitchen and looked at each other. They all nodded and Katie counted silently to three on her fingers. Sara kicked the door open like a spy as Lily did a front roll and crawled behind the counter.

"Freeze!" she shouted as she jumped up, her wand ready to strike down the intruder. She looked around and realized there was no one in the kitchen but the Marauders.

"_Aguamenti!_" Katie called out as she doused a smoking pan with water.

"_Aresto Momentum!_" Sara yelled as she dove to catch a pancake James had attempted to flip.

"Who screamed?" Lily asked looking between the boys.

"Sirius," James answered nodding to the cabinet.

Lily opened it only to find Sirius wearing a soup pot as a helmet. He was holding a baking sheet like a shield and he brandished a wooden spoon as if it were a sword or a wand. Lily wasn't sure which one he was going for.

"Th-th-that thing shot _these_ at me!" he cried, holding up two pieces of burnt toast. The 'thing' he was referring to was the toaster. Lily fell to the ground and started rolling from fits of laughter. Sara and Katie cackled as they slid down the wall, clutching their sides.

"S'not funny," Sirius mumbled childishly as he crossed his arm across his chest and his makeshift helmet fell down to cover his eyes. This only made the girls laugh harder. Sirius frowned at them as he clamored out of his shelter.

"What were you guys doing?" Lily finally asked once she could breathe again.

"We were _trying_ to fix breakfast for you all, but the appliances were working against us," Remus replied as he threw a look towards the now soppy, burnt pan of eggs.

All three girls smiled endearingly at the Marauders as they went to help them. Katie grabbed Sirius's hand and pulled him back towards the toaster. Sara went to the stove with Remus and showed him how to crack an egg. Lily grabbed James, a bowl, and more pancake mix. They all set to work and made breakfast. In no time they had a lovely spread and sat down to eat.

"Thank you for the breakfast, well brunch, boys!" Lily said as she helped herself to some jam for her toast.

"Thank you for showing us how to cook brunch, girls," James replied with a mouthful of eggs. Lily grinned and wiped his face with her napkin. Realizing what she had just done, she froze.

"Err, I'm sorry. You had something…" she trailed off.

"It's ok Lilyflower," James said easily, putting his arm around the back of Lily's chair. The tension melted away as Lily relaxed and went back to her food.

They cleaned the kitchen together and it ended in a soap fight. They all grabbed two sponges and strapped them on their feet to skate through the kitchen. Sirius turned on the radio and they danced to the music. Lily and Sara already knew the words, but the others caught on fast.

"Hey soul sister, ain't that mister, mister on the radio? The stereo? The way you move ain't far ya know! Hey soul sister, I don't wanna miss a single thing ya do, tonight!" they all sang, the boys spinning the girls around in circles as they laughed.

When the song ended they all grabbed a bucket and mop to start cleaning up their mess.

"We're gonna head over to Sirius's house to change," James said as he raked a hand through his soapy hair.

"Ok, we need to shower anyways," Lily said, smiling sweetly at him.

As the boys shut the door Sara turned to Lily and Katie.

"What?" Katie asked.

"I have an idea," Sara smiled, "let's take the boys to Six Flags!"

"Yes!" Lily exclaimed.

"They will love all the roller coasters!" Katie said cheerfully.

"Let's go order the tickets now!" Sara said, already heading upstairs. "Guys?" she called down. "Did one of you turn the computer on?"

"No," Katie and Lily called in unison.

"Hmmmm…oh well," Sara said as she went to get the tickets.

Katie and Lily were showered and dressed by the time she was done ordering. As she went to the bathroom, Lily turned to Katie.

"Does James seem different to you?" she asked.

"How so?" Katie frowned in thought.

"Like he's backed off some. I don't know. It isn't bad or anything. It's actually _good_," she said.

"Well I suppose," Katie said, "I think he's trying to turn the cocky attitude off."

"Or maybe he's growing up," Lily mused.

"Could be," Katie said thoughtfully.

"Whatever it is, I like it. A lot," Lily smiled.

"Well I know _that_," Katie grinned, "I'm your best friend. I notice these things."

The girls laughed and fell into a comfortable silence. When Sara came downstairs they went to the theatre room and cleaned up all their pillows and blankets. Once they were done, they fell onto the sectional and turned on the TV. The boys came back over a short time later and demanded they go do something.

"Let's grab a drink first," Sara suggested. She went into the kitchen and was followed by Katie and Lily. "Watch this," she whispered, taking Sirius's bouncy ball from a drawer. She tapped it with her wand and it was frozen in an ice cube. She put it in Sirius's drink and made the rest of them before placing them on a tray. With a wink, she headed out the back door where the Marauders were sitting on the patio. "Here you go guys."

"What is that! Holy dung!" Sirius exclaimed as he caught sight of his ball. "Bouncer! You came back to me!"

They all laughed as he dug through the glass to get the ball out. Once he fished it out he held it up to the sun so the ice would melt. Smiling, he placed it safely in his pocket.

"Where were we?" he asked. The group just laughed as the sun rose higher in the sky.

**And there it is! Sirius and Bouncer are now reunited! Yay! I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter!**

**I'm sure you're all very curious about James's second idea, but it'll be another few chapters before you find out what it is. I promise you it will be well worth the wait! In the meantime, anyone want to guess what it is? **

**As always, REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey everyone… (dodges rotten fruit and vegetables) I am so so sorry for the horrible lack of an update. Between work, camping, and the holiday, my laptop was left forgotten. Can you all find it in your hearts to forgive me? Pretty please? With James and Sirius sugar on top? Hopefully this 5,000 word chapter will ease your frustration with me!**

**Now that my groveling is out of the way, thank you for the reviews! MortalFire101, NegligibleNaina, Real Men Play Quidditch, wild-daisy7, SucksRoyalHippogriff, MusicalMarvel, Whatchoofelloverfor, and Dramionelicious, you guys are awesome! I will let you know that no one has guessed what the boys are up to yet, so keep the guesses coming!**

**And without further ado,**

**Now onto the story!**

After a day full of fun in the sun and lots of sand, the girls whined that they wanted to go inside. Sirius whined that there was sand in his shorts and he was going to chafe. Remus and James cringed sympathetically for their friend. The girls rolled their eyes at their dramatics. When they arrived at Sirius's house, Lily was the first to speak.

"Let's go out tonight," Lily chirped. They were planning on staying in for the rest of the week. After watching all the Disney princess movies, the boys had stumbled upon a cabinet full of all the other Disney classics. In true Marauder fashion, they had theatrically begged the girls to let them watch the movies. They really were overgrown, too-handsome-for-their-own-good, toddlers. It hadn't taken much for the girls to acquiesce to their request. This had led to whoops of joy and high fives.

"Sounds good to me," Katie replied, "where are we gonna go?"

"Somewhere fun of course!" Sara enthused.

"Ahem," Sirius made a show of clearing his throat. "It's always fun with the Marauders around," he said smoothly, putting his arms around both James and Remus.

Lily swooned slightly as the wind caught James's already messy hair. Looking to Katie and Sara, she saw they too had a glazed look in their eyes. Lily chuckled inwardly. Who would've thought that Katie Parkins would fall for Sirius Black's devilish wink? Or Sara Snow would fall for Remus Lupin's chocolate eyes. Or Lily Evans would fall for James Potter's sex hair. She gulped at the thought of the S-word and James Potter in the same sentence. She could feel heat on her cheeks and it certainly wasn't from the sun.

Tuning back into the conversation before her thoughts started lurking in dangerous places, she heard Sara's brilliant idea.

"How about the Boardwalk?" she asked. "It's this really cool place that only a few miles away. It's like a carnival!"

Lily smiled gleefully. She loved carnivals! She was about to voice this when she caught sight of the boys and Katie's faces. They were confused.

"Wizard kids," she huffed to Sara. She laughed in response. "We aren't explaining this one guys. You're in for a surprise!" Lily laughed. Katie smiled excitedly while the boys looked rather nervous.

"What do we wear?" Sirius asked, always the fashion-conscious one. Lily swore he was a girl sometimes. He spent more time on his hair than she did! Of course, no one spent more time on his hair than James. Just as she thought this, he reached up to ruffle his hair. Lily smirked.

"Just wear casual clothes, Sirius," Sara replied with a laugh.

"Can we puh-lease take the Jeep?" James pleaded. Lily could practically see him jumping up and down but he refrained. He was a Marauder, and Marauders don't jump up and down while begging. It was in the handbook.

"I suppose," Katie drawled out, feigning reluctance.

"Meet us back here in an hour and a half," Sara called, already heading towards her house.

"Why so long?" Remus whined as he watched her retreating form longingly.

"It'll be worth it later, Remus," Sara replied with a wink. Lily couldn't believe her blatant flirting towards Remus. Sara was usually a very reserved individual. Though she did relax around Lily and Katie, they had never seen her so carefree around a member of the opposite sex. It must be the summer air. There was something about the unique smell that only came round in the summer. It made one feel invincible, like they could conquer the world. When the flowers bloomed and the air turned warm, worries ceased to exist. Summer made you fearless. Lily smiled at the thought.

An hour and a half later, no less, the girls were all looking beautiful. Katie had chosen to wear capris with a flowing cream tank top. Sara opted for shorts and a slouchy, striped shirt. Lily felt ridiculous. After pulling out a ratted pair of shorts and an old t shirt to wear, Katie and Sara had stepped in. They had forced Lily into the tightest pair of jeans she had ever had the displeasure of wearing. She had complained that she would get hot in pants, but when she glanced down, she saw that the entire front of the jeans were ragged. Katie had told her they were called "destroyed" and they were supposed to be that way. Lily thought they were stupid. After a string of profanities and a few swings, the girls had wrestled Lily into a low-cut, black shirt. Lily huffed when she saw her reflection in the mirror. Taking advantage of her momentary distraction, Sara attacked her with a curling iron, teasing comb, and hairspray. Katie held Lily still as Sara turned her flat hair into that of a super model's. Lily gazed in wonder at it. Sara had fluffed her curls and given her hair just enough volume. Though she would never admit it, Lily loved it. She was even obedient when Katie demanded to do her makeup. She sat perfectly still until the eyelash curler came out.

"No way, K," Lily said, eying the torture contraption wearily.

"Lily just hold still. It doesn't hurt," Katie said as she moved towards Lily's lashes. She jerked backwards.

"No, Lily. Hold still," Katie said firmly as she motioned for Sara to hold Lily's head still. Outnumbered, Lily stayed perfectly still so she didn't get her eyelashes ripped out.

"Perfect," Sara cooed as she scrutinized their life-size Barbie. Lily huffed indignantly as she went to find her flip flops.

"No no, Lily," Katie said patronizingly as she held out a pair of bright red heels.

"Absolutely not. Not under any circumstances will I wear those. No way. No how," Lily said, backing away as her supposed _best friends_ advanced on her already clad in heels.

James, Sirius, and Remus were sitting on the deck of Sara's porch. Being the gentlemen they were, they had drove the Jeep over to her driveway so the girls wouldn't have to walk. They all jumped in surprise when they heard a shriek and the sound of someone running. There was a loud thump followed by indecipherable shouting.

"That's Lily," James said confidently, "I'd know the sound of her yelling anywhere. It's not scared yelling either. It sounds like Katie and Sara are making her do something she doesn't want to do."

"You do have a lot of experience with her yelling," Remus mused as he twiddled a piece of grass between his fingers. "Just be thankful it isn't directed at you this time." James nodded with wide eyes. He was very thankful.

"Remember that time he charmed her books to change every name mentioned in them to 'James Potter'?" Sirius laughed joyously at the memory. James cringed slightly. He remembered that incident all too well. He had hoped Lily would just think she was imagining the changes. His intent was to get himself on her mind, to get her to think about him. His plan had failed miserably. Lily had noticed the difference right away when the goblin, Graust, had turned to his name. She had chased him around the common room, brandishing her edited textbook as a weapon as she screamed profanities at him.

"His head had a bump on it for weeks!" Remus guffawed as he and Sirius laughed at their friend's expense.

"Thanks gits," James said grumpily as he rubbed the spot on his head that had sported a knot for three weeks. He swore his head was misshapen from the blow. Thank Merlin for his hair. He thanked his lucky stars for his good genes. His thoughts were interrupted when the front door opened to reveal Sara and Katie. They looked slightly disheveled as they smoothed down their hair.

"What happened?" Sirius asked as he peeked inside the door for an intruder.

"Lily." Katie replied as she straightened her shirt.

"Where is she?" James asked impatiently.

"I'm right here," Lily called from inside the house. The boys peeked inside to see Lily still standing at the top of the stairs. She was gripping the banister tightly and she looked slightly upset.

"What's wrong, Lily? Come downstairs," James said as he moved towards the base of the steps.

"I can't," Lily said pitifully. She looked so sad as she gazed at the bottom of the stairs.

"Why not?" James asked, worried now. Lily pointed at her shoes with disgust. James glanced at them and then realized what Lily was wearing. His eyes raked up her body and cursed his hormones. The jeans she wore were skin tight and the rips in them gave her a bad girl look. The red heels only made her already long legs look even longer. Her low slung shirt left little to the imagination. As James's eyes finally reached her face again, his heart was beating a little faster. Then he took in her face. Her emerald eyes looked more like a stormy sea as they swallowed him up. Her hair looked as if she had just rolled around in bed with someone, but it was still neat. James didn't understand how his shy, sweet Lily could go from pretty to sexy in such a short time. As his imagination started getting carried away, he cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Why don't you just change shoes, Lily?" he suggested. Merlin, he didn't want her to take those shoes off. Not now, or later, or in bed… He shook his head again and started naming the twelve uses for dragon blood to himself. Oven cleaner, making a Sorcerer's stone, shoe polish…..

"I can't," Lily sighed, "Katie charmed them so only she can get them off my feet." James silently thanked Katie.

"Stay right there," he said as he ascended the steps. He stopped in front of Lily and stooped to put an arm behind her knees.

"What are you doing, James?" she asked as he put his other arm behind her shoulders. She let out a shriek as he swung her up into his arms, bridal style.

"I'm carrying you down the stairs so you don't break something," he answered reasonably.

"Oh Merlin," Lily thought. She was in James Potter's arms as he walked towards the door. "Shouldn't he be carrying me _up_stairs?" Lily laughed at her thought.

"Care to share? " James asked as he paused on the last step.

Lily grinned at him and said, "I was just thinking that under different circumstances, you would be carrying me over the threshold and _up_ the stairs, not down the stairs and out the door." Lily was shocked at her own boldness but all her worries were forgotten when she saw James's face. He had broken out into a truly breathtaking smile and his eyes were beaming with joy.

"Maybe someday, Lily," he smiled.

"Maybe, Potter," she replied cheekily with a coy wink.

"Hurry up you two!" Sirius yelled from outside.

James grabbed Lily's hand and dragged her to the Jeep. She gave the vehicle an apprehensive look as she appraised the large jump she would have to make to get in the car. James chuckled throatily behind her as he wrapped his hands around waist and hoisted her into the seat easily. Lily gasped when his fingers squeezed the ticklish spot.

"Not ticklish, are we now, Lily?" James asked as he too climbed into the monstrous Jeep.

"James…" Lily warned as he inched towards her. He smiled and squeezed her shoulder.

"I'll leave you be. For now…" he trailed off mock-threateningly. Lily playfully smacked his knee and let her hand rest there.

"Prat," she said as she he rocked his knee back and forth. He just grinned crookedly at her before he covered her hand with his and looked out the window.

Lily studied his hand while he was distracted. It was tan from quidditch and the Florida sun. He had a freckle on the side of his pinky. She could feel the permanent calluses on his palm from handling quaffles and gripping a broomstick.

She was debating flipping her hand and entwining her fingers with his when she noticed his ring finger. It was slightly crooked as if it had been broken. Frowning, she ran a finger along it. James looked over to her and cocked an eyebrow as if to say, "What are you doing?"

"What happened to your finger?" she asked as she skimmed her finger along it again.

James grinned and Lily felt a story coming on.

"Please tell me you didn't ask him about his left ring finger," Sirius groaned. Remus looked at Lily in the rearview with weary eyes.

"She did," he lamented.

"It was a stormy morning in November…" James began with gusto.

"Here we go, "Sirius whined.

"The rain was hammering hard on the roof of Hogwarts, thunder rumbled like the Gryffindor lion, and lightning flashed across the sky," Lily laughed at his dramatics. "It was the day of the Gryffindor/Slytherin Quidditch match and tensions were running high. Avery was the Captain and you all know he and I don't see eye to eye," they all grimaced. Avery was a self-proclaimed Death Eater who spent most of his time hexing anyone who wasn't pureblood. "Anyways, our mutual dislike had escalated two days before because the prick tried to use the pitch when I had booked it. McGonagall stepped in and told him to leave, but he couldn't just drop it. He shoved into me every chance he got in the hallways, we even had a go in front of Slughorn's office but he came waddling as soon as he heard us shouting about each other's mother," Sirius snorted from the memory. "Now back to the day of the match. After a rousing pep talk in the locker room, my team was ready to go. None of us wanted to be beat out by a bunch of Dark Lord worshipping prats so we were all ready to kick some ass. When the whistle was blown, we had the Quaffle immediately and I sent it flying through to the hoop. The Quaffle hit the Keeper in the gut and sent him flying through the hoop still clutching the ball. Avery didn't like that too much. The game went on and we stayed neck and neck the entire time. Our Seeker was hot on the tail of the Snitch and the Slytherin Seeker was going the opposite way. Avery grabbed a Beater's bat and charged at me. I was too busy trying to catch the Quaffle McLaggen had thrown towards me to notice Avery. Just when I caught the Quaffle with my right hand, the bat came down on my left one. I had been gripping my broom with that hand and it unseated me. I knew I was about to fall off my broom and so did Avery. He hit the handle on my broom and I fell off," Lily gasped. She had definitely not been at this match! "I caught the foothold on my broom and prayed it wouldn't dive down. Luckily, it didn't."

"I swear that Nimbus can read your mind, James," Sirius interrupted. All three girls shushed him and urged James to continue. He smirked at how enthralled they all were with his little tale. Remus rolled his eyes and chuckled to himself.

"Where was I?" he asked, knowing it would annoy the girls.

"Hanging onto your broom. Now onto the story!" Katie exclaimed.

"Ah, yes," James replied nonchalantly. Lily tapped his crooked finger with her own and urged him to continue. "So as I clung to the broom and the Quaffle I knew Avery couldn't just let me be so I had to act fast. I tossed the Quaffle high in the air and swung up on my broom. Before Avery had time to realize what was going on, I gave him a kick in the knee and dived to catch the Quaffle before it hit the ground. I got to it about half a foot from the grass," Lily raised an eyebrow at him. "Ok three feet. Happy?" he asked. She nodded with a smile. "Anyways, I took off for the goal and threw the Quaffle just as our Seeker caught the Snitch. I jumped up on top of the ring and listened to crowd chant. It's really exhilarating, you know? Standing fifty feet off the ground, teetering on the edge, almost falling," Lily gripped James's arm tightly as if to keep him from falling. He grinned his lopsided grin and patted her hand to reassure her that he wasn't going anywhere. "I leapt off the ring and dove for my broom and flew around the pitch. McGonagall was so mad at me for jumping from that hoop, but really I think she was just worried. She always did have a soft spot for me." He said, shooting a grin at Sirius.

Sirius menacingly cracked his knuckles. "You stay away from my woman, Potter," he hissed. Everyone laughed but Katie who fixed Sirius with a look. "Second woman," he corrected. When Katie didn't lose the stony look, Sirius sighed. "You're my woman. My _only _woman," he enthused. Katie broke into a giddy grin and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. Sirius looked like a small child at Christmas. They all laughed at his expression, but he didn't seem to mind as he put his arm around Katie and pulled her closer to him.

"There's plenty of room, Sirius. You two don't have to sit so close," Lily teased.

"Shut it, Evans," Sirius said as he nuzzled Katie's hair.

"Look though, Sirius! There's enough room for us all to have a little space," Lily said, barely holding back a giggle.

"James, shut your woman or _you're_ gonna get it," Sirius threatened as he breathed in Katie's floral scent.

"Me?" James piped up indignantly. "I didn't do anything!"

"_His_ woman?" Lily hissed venomously. James patted her hand comfortingly.

"We're here!" Remus said before Lily could yell at Sirius. James opened the door and hopped out. He turned to help Lily, but when his hands went for her waist, she stopped him. Instead, she took his hand and slid out. To James's delight she didn't drop his hand when she steadied herself, but instead led him to the ticket booth. James grabbed his wallet and pulled out some Muggle money to pay for two arm bands.

"You didn't have to buy mine," Lily said shyly as she helped James put his neon yellow armband around his wrist. He smiled as he turned her wrist over to fasten her band on her arm.

"I know I didn't _have_ to, but I wanted to," he replied as he finished putting her bracelet on. He brought her hand to his lips and placed a sweet kiss on her knuckles. As he brought their hands back down, Lily tangled her fingers with his. James smiled cheekily at her. Lily loved how something as insignificant as holding her hand could make James so happy. It made her feel like she was the only girl he saw. As if sensing her thoughts, James rubbed circles on the back of her hand with his thumb.

"Did I tell you that you look stunning?" he asked sweetly as they waited for their friends. Lily shook her head shyly. "I didn't? I really must be a prat because you are without a doubt the most beautiful girl I've ever had the pleasure to lay eyes on. Please forgive me for not tell you so," he said honestly.

Lily just stared. He had asked for forgiveness for not telling her she was beautiful? Dream boy had to be too good to be true.

"You're sweet," was all she could manage as his scorching, beautiful eyes burned her up. James just leaned forward and placed a lingering kiss on the very corner of her lips. Maybe he should listen to Remus and Sirius, mainly Remus, more often. This whole backing-off-and-not-being-arrogant thing really worked! Lily gazed him a dazed smile that still stunned him speechless.

"When you two are done staring into each other's eyes like those Muggle romance movies, we're going to get in line for the karosail-thingy," Sirius called. James nearly growled at his best mate's interruption.

"I'm going to kill him," James said under his breath.

"Slowly," Lily agreed. James squeezed her hand and pulled her with him to catch up to their friends.

"What is a karosail?" Remus asked as his nose wrinkled at the unfamiliar name.

"Well it's a ride," Sara replied. "You get on a horse and you…"

"HORSE! I don't like horses and they don't like me. Remember that Hippogriff that tried to kill in me in Care of Magical Creatures class! Those things are half horse. I'm sure their cousins won't like me anymore than they do!" They all laughed hysterically at Sirius's outburst. "It's not funny, guys! This is serious! And I'm Sirius too!"

"They aren't real horses," Lily gasped between peals of laughter. "They're fake."

"Oh, thank Merlin!" he sighed dramatically.

"What do the horses do?" James asked.

"Well they spin around in a circle on a rotating circle and they go up and down on a pole. Wait!" Lily tried to take her words back, but the Marauders were already on the ground, rolling. Damn teenage boy minds.

"Are you sure this is a children's ride?" Sirius asked as he cackled.

"It sounds like something that belongs in Madame Puddifoot's!" Remus laughed. This sent the boys back into manic laughter as the girls tried to conceal their giggles. As they finally calmed down, it was their turn to ride. The boys raced to find their favorite horse.

"I want this one!"

"Too bad!"

"That one's girly!"

"No it isn't! Look at the hair on it! Totally manly!"

"There's jewels all over it!"

"Your mum has jewels all over her!"

"Oh yeah!"

"You heard me."

"Your mum's so fat, her Patronus is a cake!"

"You're so gay, when a Boggart sees you, it turns into lady parts!"

"I hope you fall off your horse!"

"I hope you go bald!"

"You take that back!"

The girls just shook their heads as they got on a horse next to each boy.

"Buckle your seatbelt, James," Lily said, feeling like a mother as she wrapped her own belt around her back.

"I thought that was your job," James shot back with a wink. Lily reached over and tugged on his hair, reveling at its silky texture.

"Not the hair, Lily," he whined playfully as she ruffled his untidy mop. James immediately stopped smiling and stiffened.

"James, what are you doing?" Lily asked worried as James's eyes turned to slits.

"Nothing, Lily. I thought I saw someone," James answered, making a conscious effort to arrange his features into a smile. It looked more like a grimace. Lily turned in the direction he had been looking but only saw a blonde haired boy eying her appreciatively. Lily shivered. Creep. Turning back to James, she had a thought.

"James, you aren't _jealous_ are you?" Lily asked incredulously. James's eyes flickered back in the direction of the blonde guy.

"Me? Jealous? No." he answered too quickly for it to be truthful. Lily eyed him suspiciously.

"Maybe you're_ too_ pretty for your own good," James said under his breath.

"Good thing I've got a big, strong guy to look out for me," Lily said quietly as she put her hand on James's knee. He smiled a genuine smile then and took her hand in his.

The carousel started to spin and Sirius whooped as his horse went up and down.

"This is like riding a Hippogriff without having to be respectful!" he said gleefully.

"Sirius, shush!" Katie scolded him. "Muggles. Remember them? They don't know what Hippogriffs are."

"Oh yeah," Sirius seemed untroubled by this.

As they exited the carousel, they headed towards the Ferris Wheel.

"This looks fun!" Remus exclaimed.

"Yeah!" Sirius agreed as he looked at the tall, circular structure with childlike wonder.

James looked at it like it was going to fall over.

"What's wrong, James?" Sara asked.

"Is that thing _safe_?" he asked nervously.

"Yes," Lily laughed. "Come on, chicken."

She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the waiting seat. When the attendant let it rock back, James gasped. Lily grabbed his hand and squeezed it tight.

"It's alright, James," she soothed.

He nodded with his eyes closed ad his lips pressed tight together. As they moved farther up the ride and more riders got on, James grew tenser. Lily couldn't take the silence any longer so she reached over and pecked him on the cheek. He gasped again.

"What was that for?" he asked as he covered the place where she kissed him with his hand.

"To get you to breathe again," Lily replied, glad to see his beautiful eyes again. James gave her a tense smile. Lily reached over and smoothed the wrinkles of distress from his forehead. He slowly relaxed under her touch and slumped down in the seat, careful not to let any limbs dangle over the edge.

"So James Potter, Quidditch extraordinaire is scared of a Ferris Wheel," she mused to herself.

"I like heights. Love them actually," James said. "I just like to be in control of how high I am."

Lily understood then. He liked to know that he could get himself down when he wanted. She squeezed his hand comfortingly and he returned the sentiment. As they got off the Ferris Wheel, to James's immense relief, they looked around for more things to do. Katie decided she was hungry and wanted a corndog. Sirius refused to eat one because of what it looked like. He had a difficult time watching Katie eat the corndog and he squirmed uncomfortably. James laughed at him.

Next, they walked through the games section and looked at the prizes. Lily had a fit over a stuffed elephant at the milk bottle booth. James made a note of the place as they kept walking. When the girls went to the bathroom he grabbed Remus and Sirius and rushed back to the milk bottle booth. He paid for five balls and set to knocking the milk bottles down. His first throw was rubbish. These balls were not like Quaffles so he adjusted his throw and sent the next one flying at the bottled. They all tumbled down except one. James frowned and threw another ball. The same thing happened again. He threw his fourth ball and huffed. The game was rigged. While the attendant turned to help another customer, James whipped out his wand and muttered an incantation. He turned and waited for the attendant to watch. With deadly accuracy, blistering speed, and a little magic, James knocked the bottles down and smiled when he realized the attendant was the blonde boy from the carousel. Lily and the girls walked up then and looked at the boys.

"Want to pick something out, Lily?" James asked sweetly as he slipped an arm around her waist. Lily pointed at the elephant excitedly and hugged it to her. James smiled at her happiness.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, James!" she exclaimed as she hugged him to her, making sure not to squish her new toy.

Katie and Sara looked at Lily's stuffed animal sadly. Sirius grabbed Katie's hand and told her to find something she liked. She squealed and quickly saw a stuffed, pink pig. Sirius played the ring toss game. He won with a charmed ring and pointed to the pig proudly. Katie squeezed Sirius tightly as she looked at her pig.

Sara ended up finding a dog she absolutely loved. Remus won it by playing Skee ball. She kissed him on the cheek as she appraised the dog.

As they headed back to the car, Lily begged for cotton candy. Sirius agreed with her and bought a bag for himself after Lily purchased one. Much to James's displeasure, she had paid before he knew she was getting anything.

"Oh my goblin!" he explained after putting a piece in his mouth. "It just vanished! It's gone! How did it do that?" he exclaimed as he put another piece in his mouth. "It did it again!"

"You gotta love Padfoot," Remus laughed. James laughed and nodded his response.

The whole way home, Sirius chattered about cotton candy. Apparently sugar made him hyper. James chuckled when Lily voiced this thought.

"You should see him on Firewhiskey," he said quietly. Lily shook her head fervently, knowing alcohol and Marauders did not mix. James laughed again and Lily felt his chest rumble from the action. Sometime during the ride, she had shifted so she was lying on James. Her eyes started to droop as his fingers tangled in her hair.

When she woke up, her shoes were no longer on her feet and James was nowhere to be found. She groped in the darkness to adjust her blankets and found something soft and cuddly. She grabbed the unknown object and brought it close to her face. In the moonlight, she saw that it was the elephant James had won for her. Smiling, she hugged it tightly and settled back into her blankets. Her eyes started drooping and she fell asleep thinking about holding James's big, warm, callused hands. When she was deep in sleep, a small smile graced her face as she dreamed of Quidditch, cotton candy, and a crooked ring finger.

**And there we go people! I hope everyone enjoyed our little Boardwalk outing! Keep the guesses about the boys' plans coming! I hope everyone had a wonderful 4****th****!**

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Here's another chapter for your reading enjoyment! As always, awesome in the review department! Thanks very much to lilly-pad 8D, pupstarr, Real Men Play Quidditch, and Dramionelicious! I hope everyone enjoys this chapter full of fluff and storm-induced cuddling!**

**Disclaimer: These characters belong to the great Joanne Rowling. Not me. Tragically. Nor do I own the song in this chapter. I don't own the movie Titanic either.**

**Now onto the story!**

Lily awoke early the next morning to the sound of the thunder. In an odd bout of energy, she decided to go for a run down the beach. She treaded up the spiral staircase in her room to look at the sky. It looked dark and ominous, but deciding to test fate, she pulled on her running shorts and went downstairs.

As she ran down the beach, the waves started looking more and more sinister. Deciding it was time to turn around, she stopped to breathe. As she was huffing air into her tired lungs, she heard a bark.

"What on earth?" she said as she looked at her surroundings. Thinking she had just imagined the noise, she picked up a steady pace and started heading towards the house. As the house came into view, she heard the pounding of something running behind her. She turned just in time to see a large golden retriever jump on her.

"AHHHHHH!" she screamed as the beast of a dog tried to eat her face, but then she realized it was only licking her. "Get off of me!" she said as she pushed on the dog's face.

The dog barked as it sat back on its haunches. Lily gave the dog a look and it whined under her glare, effectively melting her heart.

"Come here, doggie," she said as she scratched behind the retriever's ear. Its tongue lolled out as the dog turned into her palm. Lily searched for a collar but only found a note tied to the dog. "Hmmm…" she thought as she pulled the note loose.

_To whoever finds my dog,_

_This is Amelia. I'm 6 years old and I used to live here in Perdido. My parents are making me move and won't let me bring Shadow. He is the dog you are looking at now. Please, please take care of him! He's a very good dog and he's really sweet. He loves playing catch in the ocean and he can do all kinds of tricks. I hope you can take care of him._

_ Thank you!_

_ Amelia_

"Shadow?" Lily questioned with a glance at the dog. He barked in recognition of his name. Lily grinned at him and hugged him around the neck. "Do you want to come home with me, boy?" she asked, feeling slightly absurd for conversing with a dog, but he seemed to understand as he licked her cheek. "Gross Shadow!" she protested as the dog slobbered on her cheek. She laughed as she wiped her face with the back of her hand.

Lightning forked across the sky and thunder cracked. Lily gulped as the rain started.

"We better get back. Come on boy," she said to her new pet as she set off at a fast pace down the beach. Shadow fell into stride beside her, flicking sand as he went. By the time they neared the houses, Lily's hair was slicked down to her forehead. Huffing, she looked down at Shadow from underneath her soaked bangs. The dog seemed to bark out a laugh as he shook his fur out on her. "Quit it!" she exclaimed, laughing.

"Lily! Where are you?" Katie yelled from a balcony in Sirius's house. The storm was escalating and it was no longer safe to be outside.

"Katie! I'm down here!" Lily shouted, trying to be louder than the wind.

"Get inside you git!" Katie yelled, agitated from her fear that Lily was lost. Lily laughed at her friend's protectiveness.

"Don't be such a mother hen, Katie," Lily chuckled. She made to go inside when Shadow whined. She turned around to see the most heartbreaking face a dog could make.

"I can't leave you outside boy, so you're coming in. I'll give you a quick bath. I'm sure Sirius won't mind. Just don't get mud on the carpet," she said pointing at the dog's feet. They walked to the front door and Lily knocked.

"Can someone fetch me a towel?" she called into the large house. Remus appeared minutes later, towel in hand.

"Lily! You're soaked! And it's starting to get nasty out here. Get inside," he told her maternally.

"I will Remus, but I can't just leave Shadow," Lily replied.

"Shadow?" Remus questioned. Lily looked at the dog and Remus nodded in understanding as he started wiping the dog's paws. "You get inside and go take a hot shower. You're shaking Lily so just do it," he threw her a pointed look as she opened her mouth to protest. "I'll get James and Sirius to help me give this guy a bath. Shadow, you said?" he asked. Lily nodded as another bout of chilling quivers raced across her skin. "Go on, we'll take care of him."

Lily gave Remus a smile before she went inside. She bumped into Sirius as she looked for the bathroom.

"Woah, Lily! You're wet," Sirius said as he held Lily at arm's length from him.

"Thank you Captain Obvious," she said with an eye roll. "Can I take a shower? I'm freezing," she shook slightly as if to prove her point.

"Of course!" Sirius said as he led her up stairs. "You can use Prongs's bathroom. His is right here," he said, pointing to a door.

"Thanks, Sirius," Lily said gratefully. Sirius gave her a smile as he turned to leave.

"Sirius! Get your ass down here," Remus's voice echoed through the open area.

"Well, I'll leave you to it, Lily. Marauder duty calls," he said with a wink. Lily laughed as he turned to the stairs.

She went to the bathroom and stripped off her soaking clothing. The shower was deliciously warm as it soothed her shivering. She reached for the shampoo and as she lathered it in her hair, she was hit with the distinct smell that was James. Lily smiled at the scent, hardly believing she was so fond of it now. She finished her shower and as she got out, she realized she had no clothes to wear.

"Great," she huffed under her breath as she wrapped her towel tightly around her body. She was just about to call for Katie or Sara when she caught sight of the mirror. Katie had written a message on the mirror in the steam.

_Lils,_

_ The storm is too bad for us to go out. Here's a t shirt and sweat pants for you though! You can thank me later!_

_ Love K_

Lily looked to the small pile of clothes left for her and nearly put her own clothes back on. Katie had left her a pair of James's sweat pants and his Quidditch practice jersey to wear. She picked the jersey up gingerly and looked at it. 'POTTER' was on the back along with a '7'. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she reached for her underwear and bra and put them back on. Then she slid on the pants. They were too long so she rolled the waistband to a more suitable link. After pulling the drawstrings tight, she grabbed the shirt and pulled it over her head.

"Calm down, Lily," she told herself as she looked in the mirror. "It's just a jersey. No big deal." Then images of James riding around in his broom, sweating in the hot sun, with the shirt _she_ was wearing slicked to his toned body, ran through her mind. She shook her head when her face started getting hot. With a flick of her wand, she dried her hair and left the bathroom. She went downstairs and looked for everyone. "Guys?" she called tentatively.

Then she heard music. Country music. "What the…?" she asked as she walked around the corner. She jumped back in surprise when James slid in front of her in long white socks.

"James, what are you…?" she was cut off when James started singing.

"_Maybe it's a little too early _

_ To know if this is gonna work!_

_ All I know is you're sure lookin'_

_ Good in my shirt," _James sang along with Keith Urban in a fake country accent. Lily was surprised when she laughed. Had he done this even a week ago, she would've hexed him into oblivion.

"Sirius dared me," James shrugged. The others appeared around the corner, laughing hysterically. James laughed with them. When they all sobered up, Lily looked around the room.

"Where's Shadow?" she asked, worried the boys had lost him. She heard a bark and turned to find Shadow standing closely beside Sirius. "I think he likes you Sirius."

James and Remus looked at each other and seemed as if they were holding back laughter. Their defenses broke at the same time as they leaned on each other as they laughed. Sirius just rolled his eyes at his friends.

"Padfoot has a way with dogs. It's like he can really _relate_ to them," James finally choked out through his laughter. This sent Remus over the edge again as he clutched his sides from laughing.

"I don't get it," Sara said, looking at the Marauders blankly.

"Me either," Lily replied.

"I don't think we want to," Katie said. Lily and Sara nodded as they considered what the boys found so amusing.

Once Remus and James had stood back up, Sara turned to Lily.

"Where did you get the dog anyway, Lils?" she asked, looking Shadow over.

"Well I woke up early this morning and went for a run down the beach, and…"

"Wait. _You _went for a run?" Katie asked incredulously.

"Yes, Katie," Lily replied as she stuck her tongue out at her friend. It was no secret that Lily detested exercise. "Now anyways, I was starting to head back and I heard something. I turned around and there was nothing there so I kept going. When I got near the houses, I heard a bark, and when I turned around, this guy jumped on me," she said, ruffling Shadows ears. "A little girl had tied a note to him, asking someone to take him in."

"Well you're keeping him, right?" Sirius asked anxiously.

"Of course," Lily replied as Shadow rolled over to have his belly scratched. Lily had known as soon as she read the note that she had to keep him.

"What about when we go back to Hogwarts?" Remus asked.

"Lily can just write to Dumbledore," James replied. Lily nodded. The kind, old headmaster would probably have no objection to her keeping the dog on campus.

"Good idea, James," Lily smiled brightly at the handsome boy. The fact that Lily now considered James attractive shocked her to her core.

"So what are we going to do while we're trapped inside?" Remus asked as he rocked back on his heels.

"Movies of course," Katie chirped. Sara and Lily nodded.

"What movie?" Sirius asked.

"I've got an idea," Lily said. Everyone turned to her. "What about _Titanic_?" she asked.

"Ooh! I love that movie!" Sara exclaimed.

"Me too!" Katie chimed in. The girls had shown her the movie the summer before.

"Never seen it," James said as Sirius and Remus shook nodded their heads along with him.

"I figured," Lily said. She grinned when James acted as if he was offended.

"Do you have movies, Sirius?" Sara asked. "We can't exactly go over to my house and get it."

"There's a cabinet of them over there," Sirius said, pointing to a large wardrobe. Sara strode over to it and opened the doors. She sorted to the movies until a smile crossed her face when she foundTitanic.

"Got it," she said, holding it up triumphantly. The others followed her into the living room. Sirius pulled the curtains close to shut out the minimal daylight. Sara put the movie in the player as everyone took a seat around the room. Lily found herself next to James and gave him s smile. Sirius sat next to Katie with a wink. Katie giggled flirtatiously at his roguish tendencies. Remus smiled at Sara and patted the seat next to him before she plopped down.

They all sat back and became immersed in the tale of love, hope, survival, tragedy, and destruction. Lily sat on the edge of her seat and rooted for Jack and Rose as she always did. She always hoped this would change the ending of the movie, but as always she found tears in her eyes as Rose tried to awaken Jack. She refused to let her tears spill over and through her struggles, she heard a loud sniff. She looked to her left and nearly laughed.

"Sirius. Sirius! Are you _crying_?" she asked incredulously. Sure enough, fat tears were rolling down his cheeks as he viciously tried to wipe them away.

"It's so s-s-sad," he blubbered. "They l-loved each other and Jack d-d-d-died! Why would someone want to watch this?" he cried angrily.

Lily turned to James and saw that he too was a little bleary-eyed. He wiped his eyes quickly and cleared his throat thickly.

"You two are such girls!" Sara laughed. Sirius was drying his tears quickly and looked her indignantly.

"We are not!" he cried. "We're just man enough to show our emotions!" James nodded. Remus looked on, bemused by his two best friends. Katie shook her head as she rubbed Sirius's back comfortingly.

As they turned their attention back to the screen, the end of the movie was nearing. Old Rose had died and went to her heaven on board the Titanic with Jack.

"Are you serious!" Sirius yelled. "She dies too!" he threw his hands in the air exasperatedly. "This is the _worst_ movie of all time!"

"Sirius, she got to go back with her true love. When she died, they were together again," Remus explained as the credits rolled. James was muttering under his breath about bloody heartbreak movies and where they should go. Lily rolled her eyes and ruffled his hair.

"Lily, I have a question, and it's very serious," James said as he eyed Lily.

"Yes, James?" Lily asked, nervous now.

"Why do all redheads have flowers for names?" he asked. "Now don't laugh, because it's true. Your name is Lily and hers is Rose," he explained.

Lily laughed at his musings. "I don't know, James. Maybe it's a coincidence," she shrugged.

` James shrugged and turned to Sirius and Remus who were still discussing the movie's ending. She watched as the boys interacted and realized just how close they really were. When James attempted to scratch his back, Remus reached over and scratched it before James had even moved. When Remus fidgeted on the floor, Sirius handed him a pillow to sit on. Sirius looked for his drink, but James was already handing it to him. Lily smiled at how in sync they were without even noticing.

"What are you staring at, Lilyflower?" Sirius asked. Lily just shook her head and Sirius shrugged, turning back to his conversation.

Katie motioned for Lily and Sara to follow her to the kitchen.

"Where are you lot going?" Remus asked.

"Er, bathroom," Katie responded.

"Why do girls always go to the loo together?" Sirius asked. The Marauders then launched into a discussion of their theories about what caused girls to gather in bathrooms. The girls laughed as the left the room.

"When are we going to Six Flags?" Katie asked once they were out of earshot.

"Soon!" Sara replied.

"Let's go sometime next week," Lily suggested.

"Ok," her friends agreed.

"Should we tell them?" Sara asked, lowering her voice in case the Marauders came snooping.

"No, I say we just put the coordinates in the GPS and let them drive, no questions asked," Lily said.

"Sounds brilliant," Katie replied.

"Ok," Sara replied. "Let's make lunch now!"

Lily and Katie laughed at her eagerness as they peeked through the cabinets. They found that options were scarce and decided on grilled cheeses. They made one for each of them and then made two each for the boys.

"What smells so good my lovelies?" Sirius asked as he walked in the kitchen, nose in the air as he sniffed.

"Grilled cheeses," Katie said as she handed him his plate. Sirius grinned appreciatively and gave Katie a quick peck on the cheek.

"Thanks darlin'," he smiled at her. Lily could see Katie's heart melt at the sentiment.

James and Remus walked in the kitchen and looked at the food.

"Is there any for us?" James asked, donning a pitiful, puppy dog pout.

"Of course, James," Lily said as she handed him and Remus their food.

"Thanks, Lils!" James said with a cheeky grin.

"Thank you, Sara," Remus said sweetly. Sara blushed slightly and nodded her reply.

Shadow chose this time to tread into the kitchen. He sat beside Lily and gave a whine.

"Are you hungry, big guy?" she asked, ruffling his ears. Shadow barked his response and they all laughed. Lily fed the dog her crusts and he chomped them appreciatively. "We'll need to get him some food today," Lily said to the others.

"Does that mean..."

"It does!"

"We get to go back to the store!" the Marauders jumped up from the table and did a victory dance.

"I can ride in a buggy!"

"I can play with the coupon dispensers!"

"I can get my Jumbo Ball!" the girls were floored by this random outburst but laughed all the same. Leave it to Remus, Sirius, and James to turn a shopping trip into an adventure.

"Let's go now!" James declared.

"Yes! The storm has passed! We can go!" Remus nearly jumped up and down. Sirius was jumping up and down, mumbling something that sounded mysteriously like "bouncy ball".

"Alright! Alright!" Lily exclaimed as the boys continued their celebrations. "Go get your coats kids," she said maternally.

She looked down at her current ensemble and decided she at least needed to change pants.

"I'll be back in a second. I need to get some shorts," she said as she headed for the door. She dashed across the lawn to Sara's house as the rain sprinkled on her. When she got to the front door she jumbled with the spare key. Finally opening the lock, she ran upstairs to her bedroom and grabbed a pair of shorts. She debated changing shirts, but decided to stay in James's jersey. She smiled as she caught her reflection in it. She ran a brush through her hair and threw on some mascara before she was back out the door again. Her friends were already waiting for her in the Jeep as she bolted to the vehicle in the rain.

"Thanks, guys," she said gratefully as Sirius turned the heat on. The rain had made the hot temperature drop dramatically and she was shivering. James wrapped an arm around her and vigorously rubbed her arms to warm them. He looked at her shirt and smiled when he saw she remained in his jersey.

"You know you really do look good in my shirt," he said with a grin.

"Oh hush," Lily said as she playfully smacked his chest.

When they arrived at the store, the boys bounded out of the car. By the time the girls made it inside, they were already seated in their buggies. Laughing, Lily grabbed the buggy James was in and headed to the pet food aisle.

"What kind should I get, James?" she asked as she considered each brand.

"Hmmm… I'm thinking Beneful," he said seriously. Lily nodded and stooped to pick up the large bag. She felt a large hand on her shoulder.

"No, Lily," he said, shaking his head. He gently pushed her out of the way and picked up the bag.

"Thanks, James," she said as he loaded it into the cart. He gestured for her to hop in the buggy herself. She shook her head fervently. "No way," she said as James advanced on her.

"Too bad," he replied as he picked her up and sat her in the cart.

"James!" she protested.

"Hush now, Lily. You don't want to cause a scene," he said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Lily huffed and turned away from him, but as he pushed her through the store, she realized she was having fun. All too soon, they had gotten bowls, a collar, and a brush for Shadow.

"Let's find the others," Lily said reluctantly. James nodded and headed towards the registers. They found Remus and Sara in the produce and Sirius and Katie by the toy dispensers. Once they paid, they walked over to the bouncy ball machine.

"Did you get one yet, Sirius?" James asked. Sirius shook his head as he considered the machine and the balls inside. He put the quarters Katie provided him with in the machine and twisted the knob. He squeaked in excitement as his ball rolled down the machine to the dispenser.

"Look how big it is James!" he exclaimed in wonder. "It's so much bigger than the other one!"

"Sirius, I refuse to discuss the varying size of your balls with you," James said. This sent the girls into hysterics as they leaned on each other for support.

"Oh don't be like that, Jamie," Sirius said, holding his new toy as if it was a priceless artifact. "I wonder how high this will bounce."

"Sirius, no!" Remus shouted as Sirius threw the ball. It ricocheted off the walls and rolled out the door.

"Jumper! Come back!" Sirius yelled as he took off after the ball.

"Does he ever learn?" Lily asked as James and Remus ran after Sirius.

Katie and Sara shook their heads as they chuckled at the boys frantically trying to chase down the ball.

**Well here it is! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Next one, we're going to Six Flags my friends! Keep the guesses rolling on what the Marauders are up to! **

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! **


	12. Chapter 12

**Oh my lovelies! How will you ever forgive me? I once again, apologize for the lack of updates. *hangs head in shame**

**Thank you very much to Real Men Play Quidditch, pupstarr, Dramionelicious, Emishly, and berkeley929 for reviewing!**

**Has everyone seen Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 yet! I have and it is magical! (Cheesy, I know, but it really is the only description for that movie) I cried like three times! What was your favorite scene and if you cried, what part?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Or his father. Or mother. Or godfather. Or anyone in the series. I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean either.**

**Now onto the story!**

Over the course of the next week, Lily, Katie, and Sara packed their bags for Six Flags. They also managed to pack a bag for the Marauders without getting caught. Now all they had to do was wait for Thursday, the day they were leaving.

"James!" No answer. "Jaaaaames!" Still no reply. "JAMES!"

"What do you want, Padfoot?" James hollered.

"My shirt's gone missing," Sirius whined.

"You have more than one shirt, Padfoot," Remus reasoned as he looked up from the book he was reading.

Sirius strode downstairs without his shirt and fixed his friends with a glare. "Moony, did you take my shirt?" he asked seriously.

"No, Sirius," he replied with a roll of his eyes as he turned back to his book.

"Did you take my shirt, Prongs?" he asked, turning to James.

"First of all, I don't even know what shirt you're talking about. Second, no, I did not take your shirt," James replied.

Sirius's face fell into a pout. "It's my favorite one!" he cried dramatically. "You know the sky blue polo?" James nodded, indicating that he knew what shirt Sirius was referring to.

"Haven't seen it Pad," he said. "Are you absolutely sure you packed it?"

"Yes! I wore it on the plane! I remember it specifically," Sirius exclaimed.

At this point, the girls walked into the living room. "What's he on about now?" Sara asked, plopping onto the couch and snatching the remote from James.

"His shirt," Remus replied without looking up from his book.

"What shirt?" Lily asked as she took a seat on the floor in front of James's legs. "He isn't wearing one."

"And that's perfectly fine," Katie said dazedly. As she realized what she said, she blushed scarlet and looked at the floor. Sirius just grinned.

"Great," James huffed. "His ego just shot up about tenfold and I'm pretty sure his head blew up from all the hot air in it." Lily laughed at him and shook her head.

Sirius walked over to Katie and put a finger under her chin, forcing her to look at him. Before she could speak, Sirius covered her lips with his and kissed her soundly. He pulled back with a lopsided grin on his face.

"You look beautiful when you blush," he said huskily. Katie's blush deepened as she leaned into him. Sirius wrapped his arms around her and led her to the couch. Katie turned and pecked him on the lips before sitting on his lap.

"What are you lot looking at?" Sirius mock-growled as he wrapped his arms around Katie's waist. They all just shook their heads as they grinned goofily. Katie ducked her head into Sirius's bare chest in embarrassment. He chuckled.

"Now what is all this about your shirt, Sirius?" Lily asked, turning the attention from Katie. She shot Lily a thankful smile.

"My favorite shirt is missing. My sky blue polo," Sirius replied sadly. All three girls froze. They had packed that shirt for the trip. Lily and Sara looked at each other, both thinking the same thing. If Sirius figured out his shirt was really gone, it would blow the surprise.

"Maybe it's in the wash," Katie said as she ran her fingers through Sirius's hair, effectively distracting him.

"Mmmm, maybe," Sirius groaned as he closed his eyes and let Katie play with his hair. Lily and Sara both breathed a sigh of relief.

The rest of the day passed without incident. At twelve thirty, Lily drug Katie from Sirius and insisted that it was time for them to go back to Sara's.

"See you boys tomorrow," Sara chirped as they headed to the door. Ever the gentleman, Remus stepped around the girls and opened the door for them. "Thank you. Remus," Sara said sweetly. She stood on her tippy-toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Remus had stars in his eyes as she lowered down.

"Come on, Romeo," James laughed, pulling Remus back in the house. The girls had shown them Romeo and Juliet the previous night. Sirius had angrily told them that he would not watch another heartbreak movie after he had wiped his tears from his eyes.

"Goodnight, James," Lily said shyly.

"Sweet dreams, Lily," he replied as he pulled her in to hug him. Lily sighed contentedly as his toned arms wrapped around her and pulled her close. She found that she fit perfectly in his arms and she loved it. He was tall enough that his chin rested on top of her head but she still had to go up on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck. She finally pulled back smiling.

"See you tomorrow, _Potter_," she teased.

"I look forward to it, _Evans_," he retorted playfully. Lily laughed as she turned to follow Katie and Sara. As soon as they got inside, Shadow barked in greeting and sat at Lily's feet.

"You're such a pig, Shadow," she laughed as the dog whined for a treat. She caved when he went up on his hind legs and put his paws on her forearms. "Ok, ok," she conceded as she grabbed a treat and fed it to him. He chewed it appreciatively and followed her to Katie's room.

She opened the door and found Katie on her bed and Sara in the window seat. They both wore identical smiles. Lily sat down on the chaise lounge in front of Katie's bed and giggled at her friends and their daydreaming.

"He's so sweet," Katie gushed. "And his kiss! Oh bloody Merlin," she sighed.

"Remus is just so wonderful," Sara cooed as she thought of his eyes.

"I don't think I ever want a hug from anyone but James ever again," Lily confided. Sara and Katie grinned at her. Lily and James had been getting closer and closer by the day. She claimed that they were just _really_ good friends, but Sara and Katie had seen the look in her eyes when he was around.

"I'm really proud of you, Lils," Katie said as she turned over on her back and watched the ceiling fan turn.

"Why?" Lily asked as she scratched Shadow's ears.

"You've really opened up to James. And you seem happier because of it. It's like you've dropped your guard," Katie explained.

"Well he's not the arrogant jerk I thought he was," Lily replied. "He's actually really sweet and funny and hot!" Sara laughed at her outburst.

"We better get to bed," Sara said as she stood and stretched. "We've got an early morning tomorrow ladies!" she said excitedly. They were leaving tomorrow for Six Flags and they had to wake the Marauders up.

"Yeah, you're right," Lily yawned as she got up. "Night, K," she said sleepily as she headed for the door, Shadow hot on her heels.

"Night girls," Katie said as she settled under her blankets. Sara turned the light out and she and Lily headed down the hall to their rooms.

"Night, Sara," Lily said as she opened her door.

"Goodnight, Lily," Sara smiled tiredly as she put her hand on her doorknob.

Lily walked in her bedroom and didn't bother with turning on the lights as she stumbled to her bed. Shadow padded softly beside her and hopped on her bed. He had taken to sleeping at her feet, not that she minded. He was the best dog she could ever imagine. He could even open doors to let himself out to the bathroom.

"Night, Shadow," she mumbled as she pulled James's jersey on. She still hadn't given it back to him, and she didn't plan on it. She was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

"Lily, wake up," Katie shook her gently and Lily turned away from her.

"Lil, come on. You gotta get up," Sara said quietly from the other side of the bed. Lily huffed as she reluctantly sat up.

"Good girl," Katie laughed. Lily stuck her tongue out childishly. Shadow whined and hid his head under the blankets.

"I agree, boy," she said as she patted his head. She rolled out of her warm, comforting bed and headed to the bathroom.

One quick shower later she was awake and excited. She dressed quickly and blasted her hair with a blow dryer. A quick swipe of mascara and a dab of lip gloss was all Lily needed before she rushed out to her closet. She grabbed her bag and the one she packed for James. They had packed enough clothes for three nights.

"I'm ready!" she called as she ran down the stairs. She stopped when she heard a whine. Shadow was looking sadly at her from the top of the stairs. Her heart nearly broke with the look he gave her.

"It's alright, Shadow," she said softly as she petted his back. "We'll be back in a few days. You can let yourself out and I charmed your food and water bowl to refill whenever they get empty. Plus we're leaving the TV on." The dog barked in appreciation and put his paw out for Lily to shake. She laughed and shook it. Then she hugged him around his neck as he nuzzled her hair. "Bye boy," she said softly.

"Come on, Lily!" Katie yelled from downstairs. Lily grabbed Shadow's tennis ball and charmed it so it would throw itself.

"You can play with this," she said, holding the ball up to Shadow's face. He sniffed it and Lily swore he nodded. "Bye big guy," she said once more as she rose and went downstairs.

"Now for the hardest part," Sara giggled. They all knew the Marauders were stubborn. It was going to be extremely difficult to wake them up at 5 A.M. without giving them a reason.

"Let's go," Katie said, seriously. Lily laughed. The way they were talking, one would think they were preparing for battle.

They all giggled and squealed as they made their way across the lawn, secret agent style. Lily cart wheeled to the Jeep door and pretended to peek around and under it. Once the coast was clear, she motioned for Katie and Sara to bring the bags. They ducked from behind a large bush and they crept across the lawn. Lily smiled at her friends. She loved the playfulness of their relationship, but knew they would all be there for each other in the darkest situation at the drop of a hat.

"What is it, Lily?" Sara asked, seeing Lily's face.

"I'm just glad you guys are my best friends in the entire world," Lily said as she grabbed them both and hugged them. They hugged her back and smiled, knowing her thoughts without her having to voice them.

"Alright, guys. Enough with the sentimental stuff," Katie sniffled. "Let's go wake up the boys!" They broke from their hug and ducked, rolled, and flipped to the house. They got to the door and fumbled with the lock before opening it quietly. Lily was the first in and headed for James's room. Katie and Sara followed her up the stairs. They all nodded to each other at the top of the stairs as they split up. Lily crept to James's door and quietly opened it. She froze when she heard him mumble.

"Mmmm, no Sirius," he grumbled. Lily covered her mouth with her hand. Apparently, James talked in his sleep. She made her way to his bed as quietly as she could. "Leave the bird alone!" he mumbled as he turned over. Lily gasped as his hand found her wrist.

"Uh oh," she thought as James pulled her closer. For a sleeping person, he sure was strong. He drug Lily into the bed and into his chest. "Yikes!" Lily mind shrieked as he pulled her close.

"Mmmm, Lily," he mumbled as he breathed in the scent of her strawberry shampoo. Lily felt herself melt at the sound of him sighing her name in her ear.

"Snap out of it, Lily!" snapped her voice of reason. She stiffened and made herself squirm from his embrace. Once she was free, James groaned as he groped the sheets for her. She couldn't help the smile that crept on her face from his scrunched up nose as he searched for her. The innocence that exuded from him while he sleepy made Lily want to kiss him senseless. She shook her head at her not-so-innocent thoughts. Reverting back to her original plan, she climbed on top of the bed and started jumping.

"James! James! James! James get up! Wake up James!" she exclaimed as she bounced.

"Lily?" James groaned sleepily. When he saw her face his eyes widened. "Lily! What are you doing?"

"Waking you up of course," she replied as she continued to bounce. As she was mid-jump, James hopped up and grabbed her by the waist. "James!" she gasped as he pulled her down. Before her mind could register what was happening, James had her pinned to the bed while he tickled her relentlessly. "Stop! Please, James!" she cackled as she squirmed and writhed underneath him.

"Prongs, I think she's supposed to be screaming 'More' not 'Stop'," Sirius laughed from the doorway. Lily shot him a nasty look from her position under James. Katie, Remus, and Sara chose this time to pop their heads in the door.

"The plan was to get them _out_ of bed, not keep them in it," Sara laughed as she leaned back into Remus.

"Oh shut it," Lily laughed as she pushed James off of her. "Go get dressed boys."

"Where are we going?" Remus asked.

"Yeah!" Sirius seconded him. "It's 5 o'clock in the morning!"

"Just get dressed," Lily said.

"Fine," the Marauders huffed in unison. They went their separate ways to their closets and fished through their clothes. As they all headed to their bathrooms to shower, Katie and Sara turned on Lily.

"What was that?" Sara giggled.

"What was what?" Lily asked, trying to avoid the question.

"You know perfectly well what _that_ is, Lily," Katie said, throwing a pointed look at the tangled sheets on James's bed.

"Tickle fight," Lily shrugged, trying to play it off as nothing.

"Uh huh," Katie said sarcastically. Lily gave her a playful shove just as the bathroom door opened.

James Potter walked out with nothing but a white towel slung low around his hips. Lily gulped loudly.

"Sorry!" he said putting his hands up. The towel started slipping lower and he caught it just before it fell. Lily, Katie, and Sara's hands flew to their eyes as James secured his towel.

"James, what do you need?" Katie asked calmly from behind her hands. "Go back in the bathroom and we'll get it."

"Boxers," he said sheepishly as he made his way back to the bathroom. As the door clicked shut softly, the girls breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh my Merlin," Lily breathed as she fell back on the bed.

"Did you guys hear the news?" Katie asked. Lily and Sara shook their heads. "They're changing the name of Gryffindor house. It is now going to be called Gryvindor."

"Why?" Lily asked, confused.

"Because James just put the 'V' in it," she said seriously. Lily and Sara stared at her blankly before they all collapsed into a heap of laughter.

"I can hear you!" James shouted from the bathroom.

"We know, Jamsie," Katie sang. James groaned. Clearly, Katie had been spending way too much time with Sirius. "Can you please just get my boxers?" he asked pitifully.

Lily gasped for breath as she stood up and walked to James's dresser. She pulled out the first pair of boxers she touched and fell over laughing again when she saw them. They were red with little snitches all over them. The wings even fluttered. Katie and Sara caught sight of them and they too fell to the floor laughing.

Inside the bathroom, James huffed. After securing his towel tightly around his waist, he marched out of the bathroom and grabbed his underwear from Lily.

"They aren't that funny!" he cried as he stomped back in the bathroom. When he returned, fully clothed, the girls were regaining their breath. He looked at Lily who was currently trying to stand up. He sighed and grabbed her hand to help her.

"Thanks, James," she said, rewarding him with a dazzling smile. He flashed his crooked grin to her as he went to pull Katie and Sara up. They all left the room and went downstairs where Sirius and Remus were waiting. Remus was sitting in his favorite chair, reading a book. Sirius was lying on the couch with his arm over his face. Katie smiled fondly at his sleeping form. She tiptoed to his still form and knelt down to him. Katie gave the others a grin as she gently pried his arm from his face. Once she had his arm out of the way, she leaned down and planted a wet kiss on Sirius's lips. He responded by throwing his arms around her and pulling her closer.

"Alright, alright. That's enough you too," James whined, not too fond of seeing his best mate snog a girl. Katie and Sirius pulled apart and grinned at each other.

"Sorry, Jamsie," they sang in unison. James feigned annoyance and stomped out if the room attempting to cover his laughter.

"Let's go guys!" Lily exclaimed as she went after James.

Five minutes later and the Jeep was loaded down with bags and people. Sirius eyed his bag suspiciously.

"My favorite shirt is in there, isn't it?" he asked. Katie merely nodded with a smile.

Three hours into the trip, Remus claimed he was tired of driving. James took the wheel and Lily hopped in the front seat with him.

"Where are we going?" Remus asked for the fifth time. The boys had persistently insisted that they should know where they were going.

"You'll see," Sara smiled. Remus huffed and turned to the window. Sara just laughed and patted his knee affectionately. He turned back to her with a grin and entwined their fingers.

They all jumped when they heard a loud noise. Turning, Lily saw that Sirius had fallen asleep and was snoring. Katie was against his chest sleeping as well.

"Watch this," Remus grinned. He grabbed a handful of cheeseballs that they had taken to snack on. In one quick motion, he had them all stuffed in Sirius's mouth and he had returned to his original position of looking out the windows. Sirius started and sat up, cheeseballs tumbling from his mouth. Katie was awakened from his movements and gave him a glare. She laughed when she saw another cheeseball fall out of his mouth.

"Who did it?" he asked, eying James.

"Hey, I was driving," James said, glancing back at Sirius.

"Maybe if your mouth didn't resemble a black hole when you sleep, you wouldn't suck in foreign objects," Remus chuckled.

"That was once, Moony! And Peter should not have been in his rat form so close to me!" Sirius defended.

The girls looked at each other. Rat form?

"Peter is an animagus?" Sara asked. The Marauders froze, realizing Sirius's mistake.

"We all are. Peter's a rat. Sirius is a dog. Remus is a wolf. And I'm a stag. That's where the nicknames come from," James answered, praying they wouldn't ask any further questions. Only the Marauders, Dumbledore, and unfortunately Snape, knew that they were animaguses and Remus was a werewolf.

"That's brilliant!" Lily exclaimed. Sirius cut her off before she could ask anything else, saying he was hungry. Thankfully, the girls dropped the conversation and agreed that it was breakfast time.

Six hours, three stops, and one closely avoided accident later, they pulled into a hotel and checked in.

"I'm not sleeping with Sirius," James declared. "Moony, you're with me." Remus nodded his agreement.

"We might want some earplugs," he said, eying Sirius.

"What?" Sirius asked defensively.

"You snore mate, and you know it," James said as he grabbed some earplugs.

The Marauders came to the girls' room and watched movies with them until eleven thirty.

"We need to get to bed," Lily said as she stretched. Pirates of the Caribbean had just gone off. All three of the movies from the series had shown and the boys loved them. They had even jumped around on the beds, brandishing their wands as swords as they hummed the theme from the movie. Sirius claimed that he would one day be just like Jack Sparrow.

"Night, girls," the boys mumbled as they sleepily stumbled to their room. Lily and Sara climbed into their bed while Katie sprawled out on her own. The sound of soft snores could soon be heard as they all drifted off to sleep.

James shook Remus awake and whacked Sirius with a pillow after he got out of the shower. They were planning on waking the girls up and they needed to get going. Remus went to the bathroom and showered quickly. Sirius went after him and after a quick blow drying to his precious hair, the Marauders opened the door to their adjoining rooms. The girls slept peacefully, unaware of what was to come. James grabbed Lily by the waist and swung her around in a circle as she shrieked in surprise. Remus gently hit Sara with pillows as she attempted to shield herself. Sirius yanked Katie's blankets from her and placed a kiss on her neck. She gasped as she woke up.

"That was mean," she said giving him a glare. Sirius just grinned and kissed her before she could protest. Lily was clinging to James for dear life as he continued to swing her around.

"I'm awake! I'm awake!" she panted as James finally slowed down. He kept her hands on her waist until her dizziness passed.

Remus had stopped his attack on Sara and grinned cheekily at her as she attempted to sit up. He grabbed her hands and pulled her to his chest, hugging her tight.

After the girls were showered, they went downstairs to the Jeep. Katie sidestepped Sirius and hopped in the driver's seat.

"I'm driving today, Sirius," she said as he pouted. He huffed and went to the passenger seat.

"Why didn't we Apparate here?" Remus asked from the backseat.

"Road trips are half the fun of getting to a place," Lily answered as James shut his door. They hit the interstate and in thirty minutes, the tops of roller coasters could be seen.

"What are those?" James asked as he caught sight of the tracks.

"Roller coasters," Lily answered smiling.

"Roller coasters?" he questioned.

"Mhmm. Welcome to Six Flags, boys!" Lily said as they turned into the parking lot.

**And there's another chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it! Now, believe it or not, this story is not going to be purely fluff. There is conflict coming up in about 5 or 6 chapters, so get ready for some adventure! Any suggestions you guys have for rides at Six Flags? I'm open to your opinions!**

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**


	13. Chapter 13

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY AND J.K. ROWLING! **

**Hello again my dears! I hope you all are well!**

**I would like to take back my statement that I made in the last chapter about conflict coming soon. This story will not have any conflict, all fluff! But there is going to be a… SEQUEL! AHHH! I thought really hard about the twist I wanted to throw at our friends and decided it was best to come at a later point in time. So for now, just enjoy this story, but I hope you all anticipate the sequel to Summer Lovin! I know I'm excited to write it!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did, I would live in Harry Potter World inside Hogwarts.**

**Now onto the story!**

James openly gaped at the tall steel structure before him. It was called the Dragon and it looked just as menacing as one of the scaly beasts. It was actually two tracks with two separate coasters. At one point in the ride, the two coasters passed each other so closely it caused Sirius to swear loudly. Remus looked on with wide eyes and gulped.

"Come on, boys!" Katie called as the line crept forward. The Marauders were very unsure about this ride, but they didn't show their fear. It was a rule that you couldn't show fear if you were a Marauder.

They gave her unsteady grins as they stepped forward. The girls chattered away excitedly as the three boys continued to balk at the roller coaster.

"Mates," Sirius whispered. James and Remus turned to him as he looked to see if the girls were listening. When he was sure they were preoccupied, he huddled close to his friends. "I'm not so sure of this," he admitted.

"I know, Padfoot," Remus agreed.

"We can't back out though," James reasoned. "They'll never let us live it down. Who knows, maybe we'll like it." Sirius and Remus looked at the roller coaster uncertainly.

Much too soon for the boys' liking, they were the front of the line.

"You guys are gonna love this!" Sara exclaimed. Lily nodded excitedly until she caught sight of James's face. He looked positively terrified. Lily smiled a gentle smile as she took her hand in his.

"It'll be alright, James," she assured him as she rubbed comforting circles on the back of his hand with her thumb. "You'll love it once you get on."

James flashed her his trademark Marauder grin and squeezed her hand in thanks. Had anyone other than Lily Evans asked him to get on this ride, he would have flat out refused them and walked away.

It was then that the cart pulled up. It was six across with two rows. Sirius groaned as they were seated. Of course, they would get the front. Katie gave him a reassuring smile and patted his leg reassuringly. He grinned back at her and took his spot.

"Hey! There are no seats in this thing!" Remus exclaimed, clearly alarmed. Sara giggled.

"That's because you stand up in it, Remus," she smiled at him fondly. "When it starts rolling, the floor will drop out." At this statement, all three Marauders' eyebrows shot up into their hairline. "You're harnessed in," Sara said before they could panic. They all breathed a sigh of relief as the attendant came around to pull down the harnesses.

Once they were all strapped in and they were given the all clear, they slowly rolled forward. James tensed up as he saw the first hill looming towards them. Lily took his hand in hers and placed a chaste kiss on the back of it. James' grin went from ear-to-ear as he looked at her. She just laughed and turned back to the hill.

They reached the top and they started their descent. All the girls shrieked in delight as the boys yelled in fear. As the ride continued, they realized that they loved it! The exhilaration was equivalent to flying. They even whooped with joy when they crossed paths with the identical coaster.

As they came to a stop, James turned to Lily with a smile. His eyes danced with childlike excitement. His normally messy hair was even messier. Lily loved how windswept it was. She reached over and ruffled his hair affectionately.

"No wonder girls fawn over his hair," Lily thought as they exited the ride.

"That was amazing!"

"It was fantastic!"

"Who knew Muggles could make something some wonderful!"

"The loop was great!"

"And that hill!"

"What about that one turn?"

Lily, Sara, and Katie were following the boys as the animatedly discussed the roller coaster. There was no denying it now. They were smitten. Completely and totally smitten.

"You know, I was so mad when I saw them in that airport," Lily said as the boys selected another ride to go to, "but looking back now, I wouldn't have it any other way."

"I know what you mean," Katie agreed as she cast a glance at Sirius who was currently trying to choose between two rides. "I can't believe the change we've made. Or they made."

"I'm not really sure who or what changed," Sara said, "but I'm sure glad it did." Katie and Lily nodded along with Sara. Before the summer, they looked at the Marauders with loathing. Now, as they watched them arguing over a map, they looked at them with adoration.

"This is not like our map," they heard James say with disgust.

"I know!" Sirius exclaimed angrily. "It doesn't show people on it and you have to match the number up with this little 'key' thing!"

Remus just continued to study the map closely. His nose was buried in it as he looked for something unbeknownst to the others. "Aha!" he exclaimed.

"What is it, Remus?" Sara asked as she walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Katie and Lily smirked at each other upon Sara's subtle flirting.

"The Superman!" he said as he jabbed his finger at the map. "We have to ride it! You lay down on it!" Sirius and James grinned excitedly at their friend.

"Alright! Let's go then," Katie called as she started heading to the ride.

Twelve coasters later, the girls declared they were famished. James, Sirius, and Remus reluctantly found several restaurants on the map.

"Any preferences?" James asked as he glanced up.

"Pizza!" Katie exclaimed. Lily and Sara nodded fervently. Pizza was exactly what they wanted.

"What's pizza?" Sirius asked, wrinkling his nose at the unfamiliar name.

"It's food," Lily responded simply. The Marauders shrugged and set off in the direction of the pizza joint.

"Mmmm," Sirius moaned as he bit into his pizza. "This is bloody delicious!"

"'old 'ou so," Katie mumbled through a mouthful of food. Sara and Lily giggled at her.

"Why have we never eaten this before?" Remus asked, dribbling sauce on his chin. Sara laughed and wiped his chin off. "Thanks, Sara," he smiled. Sara grinned shyly in response and turned back to her plate.

"I don't know," James said as he chewed his food, "but I will definitely be mentioning this to the house elves at Hogwarts."

"Righto, mate!" Sirius said, pumping a fist in the air.

Lily sat back and surveyed her new group of friends. The Marauders just seemed to click with her group. It still flabbergasted her that they weren't all friends before. She had known seventh year was going to be fun, but with James, Sirius, and Remus, she now knew it would be unforgettable.

"What are you thinking about, Lily?" James asked quietly. Lily shuddered as his hot breath ghosted over her neck. James just grinned at her reaction.

"Seventh year," Lily responded as she looked at James. She had never noticed how truly beautiful his eyes were. Sure, she thought they were alright, but now she saw she had been missing out for six years.

His eyes were a swirl of forest green and chocolate brown, but there was more. Upon closer inspection, she saw that there were golden flecks sprinkled throughout his eyes. The golden flecks seemed to dance with mischief. Lily felt that feeling she had felt all those weeks ago on the plane. She felt free and invincible, like she could do anything. James made her feel that way.

Sirius cleared his throat as Lily and James continued to gaze at each other. Lily looked as if she was seeing things for the first time or in a new way. James looked at her like he was a drowning man and she was his sweet oxygen. They both jumped slightly when they heard Sirius. He smirked at them.

"Let's get going guys," Katie suggested when she noticed Lily's blush. Lily mouthed 'thank you' to Katie for saving her from the awkward situation. Katie nodded back with a smile.

The group of teenagers strolled leisurely through the park after their lunch. The girls looked at sunglasses in the gift shop while the boys tried on a wide array of comical hats. They even managed to cram into a photo booth together.

"I think the machine is broken," Sirius frowned at the newly developed picture strip.

"What's wrong with it, Sirius?" Lily asked as she took the pictures for closer inspection.

"We aren't moving," he explained as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world. Lily just laughed.

"Muggle picture don't move," she said with a shake of her head. Sirius looked slightly downcast from the news that not all pictures move. Remus snatched it from him to study the photos.

In the first frame, Sirius was kissing Katie's cheek while she looked directly at the camera with a mock-horrified face. Lily had James in a head lock while she ruffled his hair. His face screamed anger but his smile could not be masked in his eyes. Sara was flashing a cheesy grin to the camera while Remus looked at her adoringly. All the other pictures had captured them pulling silly faces and picking on one another, but it was the last one that stood out. The girls were all perched on the boys' laps and they all were smiling at the camera. Sirius had his arms wrapped around Katie's waist and she was pulled tight against him. Remus had his hands resting lightly on Sara's arms as she leaned back into him. James had wrapped his arms right underneath Lily's arms and she covered his hands with her own. Happiness seemed to exude from them all as they grinned.

James looked over Remus's shoulder to get a glimpse of the pictures. He smiled warmly at the last picture.

"I like that they don't move," he said as he continued to look at the picture.

"Why?" Lily asked.

"Because if they moved we would probably try to kill each other," he kidded. Lily playfully shoved him as they started walking again.

The next roller coaster was the Mind Bender. It had loops, drops, and turns that could make one's head spin. The boys were nearly jumping up and down by the time they got to the front of the line.

"Oh Merlin, I'm excited!" Sirius exclaimed as they took their seats.

"How come you get the front, Moony?" James asked from his spot in the second row.

"We got her first, James," Sara retorted as she stuck her tongue out at James. Lily laughed as James pulled a funny face back at Sara.

The conductor came over the loud speaker and told everyone to keep their hands and feet inside the cart. As he continued his speech, Sirius slowing inched his hand out of the cart.

"Sirius!" Katie chastised as she grabbed his hand back. Sirius flashed a grin that brought out his boyish dimples. Katie melted and smiled back at him before kissing him on the cheek.

The coaster lurched forward as the ride began. The Marauders whooped as they climbed the first hill.

"Hands up, Lils!" James said as they neared the top. Lily shook her head to tease him. "Put em up, Lily," James said warningly. When she shook her head again, his hands went to her waist and tickled the sensitive spot.

"James!" Lily gasped as she tried to fight him off.

"Oi! This is a family park," Sirius said from behind them. "Hands to yourself, kids."

"Sirius?" James asked sweetly.

"Yes, Jamsie?" Sirius returned.

"Go suck a Slytherin," James said just as sweetly. Sirius face turned to one of horror, but before he could reply, they reached the top of the hill and dropped.

Lily threw her hands up in the air as they fell. James took her hand in his own and shot her a devilish wink. She screamed as they turned upside down in a loop. The next turn slung her into James and he laughed at her elated expression.

All too soon, the ride came to a stop. They exited the carts and went back into the park.

"That one was my favorite," Sirius decided.

"I liked it, but the Goliath was my favorite," James said.

"I really liked the Mindbender," Remus said, joining the discussion.

"Let's ride a few more and then we have to leave," Katie said. As the boys started to protest, she pointed to the sinking sun. "The sun will set soon and then they'll close," She reasoned. James, Remus, and Sirius shook their heads sadly as they realized she was right.

After a quick look at the map, they decided on a wooden roller coaster and the Acrophobia. Lily wasn't at all pleased by the last ride, but she chose to keep her mouth shut. The ride itself explained why she didn't want to ride it. She was terrified of heights. She could handle roller coasters, but you didn't freefall on those.

After they had ridden the Georgia Peach, they walked to the next ride.

"I swear my harness wasn't working," Sirius said for the fifth time. He claimed he had nearly flown from his seat. Katie, however, had no recollection of this.

"Bugger, we could've gotten rid of you," Remus joked. Sirius huffed indignantly as James patted his head. Sirius promptly swatted his hand away from his hair.

Lily watched their playfulness and smiled. Then, she turned and looked at the ride and gulped. The tower was twenty stories tall and could reach 65 miles per hour when it dropped. She could feel her knees start to quiver as she heard the screams of those who were dropping now.

"Come on, Lily!" Sara called, effectively breaking Lily from her reverie. She took after her friends and stood close to James, finding comfort in his proximity. He looked down at her and saw the fear in her eyes.

"Are you scared, Lily?" he asked quietly.

"I don't like freefalling," she answered. James smiled at her warmly and squeezed her hand.

"I'll make sure nothing happens to you," he said confidently. Lily was touched by his concern and decided that it wouldn't be that bad if she got to keep James beside her.

And she did. James sat next to her and as soon as they were strapped in, he wrapped his hand around hers. She smiled at him in thanks. He gave her a comforting smile as he squeezed her hand. Her heart pitter-pattered as his hazel eyes beamed at her. As she looked closer, she saw the golden flecks in his eyes danced with happiness that warmed her to her core.

As the ride rose from the ground, Lily's heart soared with it. James Potter made her happy. JAMES Potter made her happy. James bloody Potter made her happy! It repeated like a mantra in her head. All she could think about was the messy-haired boy beside her. She reveled in the heady feeling she had when he held her hand. His smile could turn her whole day from bad to wonderful. As this all flowed through her mind, she couldn't help but think something was wrong. This was James Potter she was thinking about. Infamous prankster, heartbreaker, rule bender, infuriatingly beautiful. She shook her head as her thoughts trailed off. Not even two months ago, she used James's name as a curse. She didn't even use his first name until recently. She shouldn't be feeling this way. She shouldn't crave his presence. She should go back to hating when he said her name, when he would constantly follow her and ask her out.

"Lily, you're thinking about something," James said as he turned to Lily.

Lily looked at him, confused. "How can you tell that?" she asked, making sure not to look down as she turned to him.

James smiled gently at her and Lily's heart sped up a little. "Your forehead wrinkles a little bit when you think and you look up and to the left," he said as he looked at her adoringly. Lily was taken aback by this.

"H-h-how do you know that?" she stuttered. Lily didn't even know this about herself, but thinking about it now, James was exactly right.

"I watch you in class sometimes," James admitted, clearly embarrassed. Lily's heart warmed. The fact that he paid her so much attention told Lily he wasn't after her for the chase, but for her heart. Reassured by her realization, she pecked James on the cheek where his embarrassment still burned slightly. "What was that for?" he asked.

"For being you," Lily responded simply, glad to know that he truly cared for her. As she said this, they reached the top of the tower and their seats leaned out.

"Oh bloody hell this is high up!" James exclaimed, just remembering that he didn't like heights. "Padfoot, hold my hand," he whined to Sirius next to him.

"No!" Sirius protested as he snatched his hand to his chest. "I love you James, but not like that."

"C'mon, Sirius," James said desperately. "I'm scared!"

"Poor little fawn," Sirius chortled.

"I am _not _a fawn! I'm a stag and you know it," James complained.

"Well, then grow a pair, and by a pair, I mean antlers," Sirius shot back. James pouted at his best mate. Sirius rolled his eyes and reluctantly grabbed James's hand with as much dignity as he could.

"Thanks, Padfoot," James smiled.

"Don't mention it, Prongs," Sirius replied. "And I mean really, don't speak of this to anyone."

"Wouldn't dream of it mate," James said.

"But I would," Remus butted in while snapping a picture of the two Marauders holding hands.

"Mooooooony," they whined pathetically.

"Consider it leverage for a future point in time," Remus winked.

The girls laughed heartily at the boys as they all glared at each other playfully.

"You guys are insane," Katie chuckled.

"That tends to happen when you hang out with these two for too long," Remus said pointing at James and Sirius who were still holding hands. "You girls should escape while you still can!"

As they all started to laugh as the ride dropped. Lily, Katie, and Sara shrieked as they plummeted to the earth below. Sirius whooped and raised his and James's entwined hands. Once the ride reached the ground, they got several curious glances from the other riders and Sirius yanked his hand from James's grasp.

"Never again, Prongs," Sirius told James.

"Never again," James nodded.

They exited the gate as the sun sunk below the horizon, turning the sky pink and orange. Park goers flooded towards the exit as the sky got darker.

Lily yawned as they neared the car. "This was fun," she said as James opened the door to the Jeep for her.

"Yeah it was," he agreed as he hopped in the driver's seat. "Thank you for taking us, girls."

"Yeah, thanks very much," Remus said as he slid into the backseat beside Sara.

"We'll have to find some way to repay you," Sirius said with a furtive wink at Remus and James. They grinned as they thought of their upcoming trip to Disney World. The girls were too tired to notice their secret glances at each other.

"Sirius, stop moving," Katie grumbled as she laid her head on his shoulder.

"Sorry, love," he said as he wrapped an arm around Katie to make her more comfortable. She sighed as snuggled farther into his side.

Sara yawned and stretched her tiny form across Sirius and Katie as she laid her head in Remus's lap.

"Just because you're a midget doesn't mean you can lay on me," Sirius chuckled.

"Shut up, Sirius," Sara mumbled as she playfully kneed him in the stomach. Sirius made a show of pretending she actually hurt him as the others laughed.

Soon, all was quiet in the Jeep, James being the only one awake. He smiled as he glanced at his friends in the review mirror. Sara was still stretched across everyone and now she was holding Remus's arm to her, his hand resting gently on her cheek while he slept against the window. Sirius had Katie pulled tight to his side and she had wrapped her arms around his middle, his head resting on hers. Then, he turned to Lily. She looked so small curled up in the front seat with her arms wrapped around herself. James could see a small smile on her face as the moonlight shone across her beautiful features. James sighed happily at the thought of all the progress he had made with Lily over the summer.

As he drove on, he formulated a plan to make Lily his. He smiled at the thought of her finally saying yes to him, something he could only dream of before, but now could be a real possibility.

**And there we have it folks! I apologize for the delay! I had this done and ready to post, but my computer decided to delete it oh well though. I like this one much better than what I originally wrote. Hope you all are excited for the sequel that will follow this story!**

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	14. Chapter 14

**And I'm back! Hello my darlings! Who all has gotten into Pottermore! I have and my life is nearly complete by this! Now I just have to go to HP World, meet my James/Sirius, and I can die happily!**

**Disclaimer: These beautiful characters belong to Joann Rowling.**

**Now onto the story!**

Sara awoke with a start as she fell off the laps of her friends and into the floorboard of the Jeep.

"Jaaaaames," she whined as the Marauder grinned at her.

"Sorry, Sara," he said. "If you want to blame someone, blame the stoplight." Sara glared at the light that had caused James to slam on the brakes and her to tumble to the floor.

"Sara?" Remus mumbled sleepily as he stirred. "Why are you in the floor?" he asked as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"That bloody red light changed too quick," she grumbled as he helped her back up.

"James, learn to drive," Remus said as he dusted Sara off.

"I can drive, mate!" James defended. "It was that light that muggles use! I had to stop!"

"What are you guys on about?" Sirius asked, careful not to disturb Katie.

"James can't drive," Remus answered as he settled back against the window. Sirius shrugged as he too, made to go back to sleep.

James turned back to the road and made sure not to hit the brakes too hard in fear of his so-called friends tormenting him.

Lily yawned as she stretched out her limbs. "James, why are you leaning on the steering wheel?" she asked as she watched James lean over the wheel.

"I'm trying to be really careful," he said without tearing his eyes away from the road.

"Why?" Lily asked.

"Because Moony and Padfoot said I couldn't drive," he answered quickly. Lily giggled as she looked back to the boys in question as they slept. Remus scrunched his nose as if he was having an unpleasant dream but as Sara turned into him and wrapped an arm around his stomach, his face smoothed out and he relaxed. Sirius was mumbling under his breath, but Lily couldn't hear what he was saying.

"Sirius talks in his sleep?" Lily questioned as she turned back to James. He glanced at his friend and saw his mouth moving.

"Shit," he said under his breath.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked, concerned as he pulled off an exit. Without a word he put the Jeep in park and hopped out. "James, what's wrong?" Lily asked again. As she said this Sirius started whipping his head back and forth. Katie stirred and looked at him in alarm.

"No, no, no," he said as he moved his head. James opened the back door and grabbed Katie.

"Katie, watch out," he warned as he grabbed Sirius. He slumped against James as he drug him from the Jeep.

"Sirius!" he called, shaking his friend slightly as he tried to wake him. Sirius was fully leaned against James as he continued to thrash from his nightmare. James struggled to keep him upright as he fruitlessly tried to wake him. From the sound of the struggling, Remus woke up. He saw Sirius, still asleep and talking, and his eyes widened. Gently pushing Sara up, he shot out of the Jeep and around to James. As they continued to try to wake Sirius, the rain set in, soaking them all to the bone.

"No!" Sirius yelled desperately as he clutched his left arm to him. "Don't!" he choked out.

"Sirius! Sirius, listen to me!" James yelled over the rain. "You're here. You're right here with me and Remus. We're right here! You have to wake up, mate!"

"C'mon Sirius," Remus begged as their friend continued to shout through his nightmare. "It's not real, Padfoot!"

Katie, Lily, and Sara looked on in horror. This was Sirius Black. He had not a care in the world yet he was haunted by a nightmare unlike any they had ever seen.

"Sirius, please wake up," James said quietly as Sirius began to tremble. His eyes opened with a gasp, the gray orbs taking a full minute to focus.

"James," he gasped. "Remus," then Sirius fell against his friends as they hugged him fiercely.

"It's alright, Padfoot," James said calmly even though his panic was barely masked.

Katie stood frozen as she watched the three, nearly full grown men hug each other as if they were six years old. "Sirius," she whispered. Sirius's head snapped up at his name. He froze when he saw Katie staring at him, terrified. He pulled away from James and Remus and walked over to her. Katie ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him without any indication of letting him go. Sirius looked lost as she hugged him as if he was unsure of her actions.

"Let's get out of the rain," Remus suggested as he walked back to the other side of the Jeep. With a wave of his wand, he dried his clothes from the chilling rain. James did the same as he stepped in the Jeep. As Sirius and Katie got back in, Remus dried their clothes for them as they both clung to each other. Katie shot him a thankful look, but Sirius didn't seem to notice. His soul still felt cold as ice.

They drove for another hour before anyone spoke. James cautiously looked in the rearview mirror to see Sirius hadn't moved since they had gotten back in the car.

"Sirius," he said, clearing his throat," do you want to talk about it?" Sirius jumped as if he had been pulled from deep thought.

"What?" he croaked, his throat rough. Katie looked at him worriedly.

"What happened, mate? That was a bad one," Remus pointed out carefully.

"This has happened before?" Lily thought, alarmed. She looked back at Katie and judging by the look on her face, she was thinking the same thing.

"It wasn't a dream," Sirius said quietly. "It was a memory."

"Well do you want to talk?" James asked gently. "We don't have to if you don't want to."

"It was my father," Sirius said darkly. "I was remembering the time he tried to put the Mark on me." Remus and James nodded grimly. They remembered Sirius telling them about this memory in third year.

"The Mark?" Katie asked, alarmed. She snatched Sirius's left arm and looked at it closely. Upon closer inspection, she found a faint white scar along his forearm. "Sirius, what did he do to you?" Sirius laughed darkly as he thought back to that day.

"It happened a week before I was supposed to go to Hogwarts. You already know my family is well acquainted with the Dark Arts. My father was giving me some speech about how I had to be in Slytherin to 'uphold the family honor'. I told him that was a load of rubbish and that I was headed for Gryffindor. He didn't like that too much," Sirius grimaced as he absentmindedly rubbed his arm. "He said I was born into the Dark Arts and I was destined to be a dark wizard. I told him that we've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are," he grinned slightly at his own words. "I was quite proud of those words and still am. My father, on the other hand, wasn't. He pointed his wand at my arm and tried to brand me with that disgusting image. Only Voldemort can put that mark on someone but it still hurt a lot. It was like a concentrated version of the Cruciatus Curse, but I was just glad it didn't work. It left this scar," he said as he ran his finger along the scar, "and I don't know if I'm imagining it or not, but I think it twinges a bit when he calls his Death Eaters. Might come in handy one day," he trailed off. Katie looked at him, respect and adoration shining in her eyes, and placed a gentle kiss on the faint scar. Sirius smiled at her and grabbed her hand.

The car was silent as the new information sunk in. The girls were shocked that Sirius had had such a bad home life. It was no wonder he had moved in with James.

"I don't get it, though," Lily mused. "How did James and Remus know what was going on?"

"You said something about him talking in his sleep," James answered. "He only talks in his sleep when he has nightmares like that." Once again, Lily was taken aback by how well the Marauders knew each other.

"Sorry for asking, Sirius, but how are you not terminally depressed after all that?" Sara asked timidly.

"Not at all, Sara," Sirius replied, letting her know he wasn't offended, "I try not to dwell on the past and stay in the present. Besides, my true family is the Potters and the Marauders. They make me happier than I ever imagined being." Remus and James smiled fondly at Sirius's praising.

"He's the brother I always wanted," James agreed. "Jama wasn't too fond of the idea of another boy in the house at first, but I swear she loves Sirius more than me now."

"Jama?" Lily asked.

"James's little sister," Sirius answered. "She's mine too," he smiled. "She just turned seven." James nodded and smiled at the thought of Jama. She was literally a smaller, girlier version of James, without glasses. She was small with wild black hair and hazel eyes that sparkled with mischief. She was the honorary Marauderette. The boys promised to come up with a nickname for her once she mastered becoming an animagus.

Lily smiled at the thought of James being an older brother. She knew she had to meet the girl who probably had the most eventful childhood ever from being surrounded by the Marauders so often.

"I swear that girl is smarter than you two," Remus chuckled. "Don't be fooled girls, half of their prank ideas come from Jama." The girls laughed at the thought of a seven year-old girl giving the pranking kings advice.

"Hey!" James laughed. "She learned from the best!" Lily shook her head at him as she laughed.

The car ride continued like this for the remainder of the way home. They all learned new things about each other as the sun rose higher in the sky. The boys learned that Sara was afraid of the dark due to an encounter with a dementor, Lily had a birthmark on her hip in the shape of an actual lily, and Katie was half Metamorphagus. The girls learned that James was terrified of spiders because an Acromantula had once found its way into his back yard, Remus couldn't tread water, and Sirius had once had a pet dragon.

They finally pulled into Sirius's driveway, exhausted.

"I don't want to hear it from you lot," James complained as he grabbed his bag from the back along with Lily's. "I drove the _whole_ way home while you all slept." Lily smiled at him sweetly and patted his head patronizingly. He pouted as he followed her into the house. Lily sat down on the couch, intent on taking another nap, when James plopped down beside her. He laid his head on her lap and closed his eyes. Lily grinned down at him and started mussing up his hair. James made a contented sound in the back of his throat as he drifted off to sleep. Lily looked up to see her other friends were all asleep in various spots around the room. Careful not to disturb James, she carefully lifted is head and slid down farther on the couch, placing his head on her stomach. She laid back against the couch and was soon fast asleep.

**There we go folks! Sorry this one is short, but we've got Disney coming up soon and those chapters will be loooong! Any more guesses on what the Marauders have planned? Post them with a review! I love you all!**

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	15. Chapter 15

**Hello to you all! I just realized that I did not say thank you for my reviews! Please forgive me for that! I appreciate every review you take the time to leave, so thank you all so much!**

**Now, this is kind of a filler chapter between our two trips. I'm super sorry for the major delay on this! I've been really busy lately and I finally got the time to sit down and write this!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Obviously.**

**Now onto the story!**

"Sirius!" Lily called from the pantry.

"What?" Sirius called back from his spot on the couch. He glanced nervously towards the direction Lily's voice was coming from.

"Where's all the Nutella?" Lily hollered from the kitchen. She had been intent on making a sandwich with her favorite chocolaty spread only to find the jar empty. Her immediate suspect was Sirius, seeing as the boy ate more than a fully grown centaur.

Sirius breathed a sigh of relief at her words. He had not even touched Lily's Nutella and he thanked his lucky stars for this. "I didn't touch it, Lily!" he called back. It was then that Remus strode into the room, sandwich in hand. "Uh oh," Sirius said when he saw the chocolate spread on the sandwich.

"Padfoot, have you seen this?" Remus asked as he pointed to his sandwich. "It's wonderful!" Sirius grinned at his friend and his immense love for chocolate.

"You better gulp that down quick, Moony," Sirius warned. "Lily's going on a rampage to find who ate that stuff." Remus glanced nervously towards the kitchen and stuffed the whole sandwich in his mouth at the sound of footsteps.

"Who ate it?" Lily demanded menacingly. Sirius held his hands up as if she had him at wandpoint.

"It wasn't me, Lily," he said, truth in his gray eyes. Lily turned to Remus.

"I din't do 'nthing," Remus choked out through a mouthful of bread and chocolate. Sirius laughed hysterically when he saw the spot of Nutella on his friend's chin.

"Moony, you better fess up. The proof is written all over your face, mate," he chuckled as he pointed to Remus's chin. The boy quickly wiped away the evidence and gave Lily a guilty look.

"Sorry, Lily," he murmured pathetically. Lily laughed at the sadness on his face and her momentary anger flashed away.

"It's alright, Remus," she smiled at the boy kindly. He looked at her shyly and smiled back. Lily went back to the kitchen to find another snack.

As she turned the corner she heard the loud sound of banging and swearing. She cautiously pushed the kitchen door back, afraid of what she might find. When she did see the source of the ruckus, she laughed until her sides hurt.

James Potter was sitting in a heap of food boxes and jars. Peanut butter was all over him because the glass had smashed. When Lily saw the boy inspecting his hand her laughter stopped. She walked over to James, careful to avoid the glass, and took his hand. She saw that the glass jar had smashed in his hand and glass shards were buried in his palm.

"Ouch," he said as Lily further inspected him for injury. Lily smiled at him fondly.

"Come on, James. Let's get you cleaned up," she said kindly. Lily helped him to his feet and led him to the sink. "Goodness, Potter. That glass is deep," she said as held his hand up for closer inspection.

"Mhmm," James nodded weakly. Lily saw him grimace at the sight of his hand.

"Are you alright?" she asked gently.

"Not too fond of blood," he murmured through tight lips. Lily nodded and got him a chair to sit in.

"Don't move," she ordered. James nodded. "I'll be right back and don't look at your hand." Lily left the kitchen in search of a pair of tweezers.

"What are you looking for, Lils?" Sirius asked as he saw Lily underneath the bathroom counter.

"Tweezers," she said, distracted as she continued her search.

"Why? Your eyebrows look fine, love," he said with a playful wink. Lily rolled her eyes at his antics.

"James got some glass in his hand from a broken peanut butter jar," she replied as she found the tweezers.

"Is he alright?" Sirius asked slightly alarmed. He knew how James was with blood.

"He's fine. Squeamish though, isn't he?" Sirius nodded with a chuckle as he followed Lily back to the kitchen. James sat exactly as he had when Lily had left him. He held his injured hand far away and looked away from it, slightly green.

"Oh, James!" Sirius cried dramatically. He rushed to James and began to check him over as a mother would do to her small child. "Are you alright? How many fingers mate?" he asked as he held a hand up in front of James's face.

"Shut up, Pads," James said good-naturedly. Lily smiled at the boys as Sirius continued to titter over James, feeling his forehead and checking his pupils. As he continued to distract James, Lily gently grasped his wrist and started trying to remove the glass. He yelped as the first one came out.

"Sorry, James but they've gotta come out," Lily said sternly.

"Come on Prongs. Be a man," Sirius encouraged with a smile. James nodded at Lily to continue. He seemed to focus intently on what Sirius was saying as Lily continued her plucking. When the last shard was out, she smiled at James.

"All done," she said as James looked relieved. "Let's get that peanut butter off now." Sirius chose this time to leave saying he was watch some Muggle sports game.

Lily turned the water on warm and started gently wiping the sticky spread off him.

"Thanks, Lily," James said quietly as Lily ran some cold water over his cuts.

"Don't mention it James," Lily smiled as she took out her wand. "Do you mind?" she asked before saying a spell. James shook his head. "_Vulnera Sanentur!_" Lily said and the wounds immediately healed up. She placed a gentle kiss on his palm before patting it. "All better," she breathed.

James leaned into her slightly and Lily started to lean towards him. When they were inches away, the door banged open to reveal Sara. The two leapt back in surprise. James chuckled while Lily blushed and tried to look busy. Sara didn't seem to notice the tension as she headed to the refrigerator.

"We're going to watch a movie if you guys want to join us," she said as she got a water.

"Sounds good," James nodded as he held the door for the two girls. He shot Lily a wink as she walked out after Sara. She rolled her eyes and smacked him playfully in the chest as they walked into the living room.

"Oi! Lily get your hands off Prongs and hit play will you?" Sirius called as he lounged on the couch, Katie tucked under his arm.

"Hush, Sirius," she reprimanded him by smacking him in the chest.

"Why is it you birds always go for the chest?" he whined. "That hurts you know." Katie smiled and kissed his chest sweetly. Sirius grinned at her and pulled her closer.

"Gross, Padfoot," Remus said playfully as he wrinkled his nose. Sara sat beside him as he said this and he immediately wrapped his arm around here.

"I wouldn't talk, Moony," Sirius snickered.

Lily hit play on the DVD player and went to sit on the couch. James sat in front of her on the floor and leaned back against her legs. Lily laughed as the opening credits glared on the screen.

"Grease?" she asked, casting a look at Sara.

"They need to be educated," she said seriously. Lily laughed and nodded her agreement. In her opinion, Grease was a must-see for anyone.

As the movie went to Rydell High, Sirius pointed at the TV excitedly. "The T-Birds are just like us!" Lily, Katie, and Sara laughed at the uncanny similarity between Danny's gang and the Marauders.

"He's right!" Sara laughed.

Halfway through the movie, Remus was irritated with Danny. "Why is he acting like that? It's obvious he still cares for Sandy. If he would drop the tough guy act he could get her!"

"Sounds like someone else we know," Sirius chuckled, throwing a pointed glance at James. He pretended to be too absorbed in the movie to notice.

A little while later, James started wriggling around on Lily's legs. "Something wrong, James?" she asked quietly.

"My shoulders just hurt. I think I fell funny when I cut my hand," he whispered back. "I was trying to get a jar of Nutella down. I saw you hide it the other day and when I heard you complaining, I knew you had forgotten it."

Lily was touched by his small, attempted act of kindness. She knew she should be getting used to James behaving this way, but each act still floored her.

"Lean back," she whispered. James obeyed and leaned back into her. Lily put her hands to work on his knotted shoulders.

"Mmmmm," James moaned quietly as she loosened his tense muscles. Lily smiled at him and continued to work her magic. She turned her attention back to the movie as she worked, but James could hardly focus. Her talented hands continued to roam his back and shoulders and each touch set him alight with happiness. He forced his attention back to the movie as the seniors went to a carnival of sorts. Lily's movements slowed, but her hands did not leave his shoulders. Instead, they pulled him closer to her. James grinned to himself and laid his head on Lily's knee.

Lily smiled as James laid his head on her. She stuck her hands in his hair and played with it, tugging on it lightly every now and then. She soon heard his breathing even out as he drifted to sleep. She wasn't aware the others were watching until she heard the click of a camera. Sara grinned at her as she lowered the camera.

"You'll thank me later," she mouthed to Lily. She just grinned and shook her head before turning back to James.

The more she thought about it, the more she could see herself actually thanking Sara for the photo. She merely smiled at the thought and continued to play with James's hair.

_Page Break_

Two days later, Sirius, James, and Remus sat huddled around a computer. They were looking at photos of Disney World.

"Did you get their clothes?" Sirius asked. James nodded. He had owled Mary MacDonald, a friend and fellow Gryffindor a week previously for help. She had been happy to help her fellow Quidditch player and captain. When she heard the plan, she Apparated straight to Florida to help the Marauders. When the girls were out later that same day, Mary had went to Sara's house and packed their bags.

"We're leaving in the morning, Padfoot. You better pack," Remus reminded him. Sirius nodded and went to his room.

"Think this plan is going to work, Moony?" James asked offhandedly.

"Yes, James. I do believe it will," Remus responded with a smile.

"I sure hope so," James murmured as he heard the sound of the girls entering the house.

**Once again, I am so so so sorry for the Ridikkulus wait! It was not intentional at all! Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long to complete!**

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	16. Chapter 16

**Once again, I must apologize for my absence! Hopefully you lot aren't getting too irritated with me!**

**We're finally here! DISNEY WORLD! Woo! **

**And without further ado….**

**Now onto the story!**

James awoke early the next day. The sun was just peaking through the clouds as it began its ascent into the sky. With a smile, he got out of bed and hopped in the shower. After brushing his teeth and dressing, he went to the living room. As he waited for Remus and Sirius, he looked out the large bay windows to the ocean and considered himself lucky. He was with his best friends in a gorgeous house at the beach. That was all great without mentioning the fact that the girl of his dreams was right next door, and she was beginning to show a slight interest in him. He hoped that this trip would do the trick of sweeping her off her feet.

"Morning, James," Remus said brightly as he descended the stairs.

"Good morning, Moony," James replied with a smile. "Where's Sirius?"

"Three guesses," Remus said with a smirk. James sighed. Sirius was nothing if not a heavy sleeper.

"Let's go get him," he laughed as he and Remus went to Sirius's room. As expected, the raven-haired boy was sprawled across his bed, mouth slightly agape.

"Turn the shower on, Remus," James said. Remus chuckled and obeyed. Once the water was running nice and cold, the two boys grabbed their friend by his wrists and ankles. Sirius did not stir as they carried him to the bathroom. Mindful of his head, James and Remus unceremoniously tossed him under the freezing spray.

"BLOODY HELL! What in the name of Merlin's right sock makes you two think this is ok!" Sirius spat angrily. He continued to insult James, Remus, and their mothers as the two leaned on each other in a heap of laughter.

"Clean up, you dog," Remus finally managed to say.

"Yeah," James chuckled. "We're going to Disney World!" he exclaimed, waving his hands over his head as they did in the commercials. Sirius huffed but obliged.

"Well get out of here, you wankers," he said as he began to strip out of his sopping clothes. Remus and James left the bathroom laughing as they went.

"We should try that the next time he doesn't want to go to class," James said as they waited in the living room. Remus nodded with a laugh.

Not long after, Sirius emerged from the staircase, bag in hand.

"Let's go, mates," he said jollily, very much awake now. Remus and James shook their heads at their friend as they grabbed their bags and followed Sirius out the door.

At Sara's house, the three girls were all asleep in the living room. Lily had her head on Katie's stomach while Sara was asleep on Lily's legs. Katie was slowly sliding off the couch. As Sirius entered the house, he just managed to catch her shoulders before she and the other two went sprawling into the floor.

"How do girls sleep like this?" he frowned. "Seems bloody uncomfortable to me." James and Remus nodded as they looked at the girls.

"Ready?" James asked. The other two nodded and followed him to the kitchen. The Marauders cooked breakfast for the girls with magic this time. Once they had six helpings of Mickey Mouse-shaped pancakes complete with chocolate chip eyes and a whipped cream smile, they went back to the living room laden with food. Quietly, they sat each plate down and tried to wake the girls.

"Kaaaaattttiiiiieeeee!" Sirius sang as he attempted to wake her from her slumber. Remus was gently shaking Sara as James pulled Lily's hair affectionately.

"It's not time to milk the chickens," Sara whined sleepily. The boys laughed at her sleep talk and continued trying to rouse the girls. Finally, Lily opened one sleepy eye and caught sight of the pancakes.

"Wake up you sods! Pancakes!" she exclaimed, shoving her best friends roughly. They both started to protest but caught sight of the food.

"Yum! Where did this come from?" Sara asked. They were all still unaware of the Marauders' presence, as they had taken refuge behind the couch. Sirius went to stand up but James pulled him back down and hushed him. With a grin, Sirius understood and Remus nodded. Their connection was border-line telepathic and they all knew what would happen next.

"I don't know," Katie said cautiously. The boys took that as their cue and jumped up, screaming.

"AHHHHHHHH!" the girls screamed, holding onto each other as the Marauders guffawed at their terror.

"You arrogant toerags!" Lily shouted indignantly.

"I believe that's my title," James laughed. The girls pounced them over the back of the couch and proceeded to hit, slap, and punch any surface they could reach.

"Ok! Ok!" Sirius called through his laughter as he shielded his face from Katie. "We surrender!"

"Yeah! Call off the hell hounds!" James choked out as Lily continued to beat him.

Remus, the only one with sense simply said, "Please!" At this, Sara hopped off of him and helped hit Sirius and James.

"Please!" they yelled together. The girls stopped and attempted to catch their breath.

"You're really going to beat the blokes who made you breakfast in bed, well breakfast on couch?" Sirius asked dejectedly.

"You lot made those?" Lily asked. James nodded forlornly. With a smile, she placed a chaste kiss to his cheek and went to her plate. Sara and Katie followed suit and dug in.

"They look like Mickey Mouse!" Katie exclaimed. Lily and Sara grinned at their pancakes before shoveling them in their mouths.

"Bloody birds," Sirius grumbled good-naturedly. James clapped him on the back before hopping up and offering his friends a hand.

"Hey, there's a letter under here," Sara pointed to the corner of an envelope under her plate.

"I have one, too," Lily said as she grabbed the letter. Katie got hers as well. The Marauders grinned their trademark smile as the girls opened their letters. Just as they had seen on the commercials, when the letters were opened, balloons poured out along with fireworks. They had enchanted the fireworks to spell, "You're going to Disney World!".

Three squeals that could only be described as female rang throughout the room followed by three "Oof!"s as the boys were knocked to the ground in surprise. Not caring who they hugged, Lily squeezed Sirius tightly as Katie wrapped her arms around Remus's waist. Sara had wrapped her tiny form around James before he fell over with his friends.

A chorus of "Thank you!" and "This isn't some sort of joke is it?" lasted for about a minute before the Marauders held their hands up.

"You're welcome," said Sirius with a cheeky grin.

"And no. It isn't a joke," James smiled. The girls squealed again before grabbing each other and dancing in a happy circle.

"I've been dreaming of this my whole life!" Sara exclaimed as they bounced.

"We get to meet the princesses!" Lily cried in delight.

"I get to meet Peter Pan!" Katie laughed as they slowed. With another high-pitched shriek that only Sirius could hear, they began to run around frantically.

"I've gotta pack! I've gotta get everything ready!" Lily yelled as she ran towards the stairs.

"Where is Moo! Lily! Sara! I can't find Moo!" Katie called, clearly distressed.

"Who's Moo?" Remus asked looking confused as Katie finished looking under the couches and started yanking cushions from them.

"The pig Sirius won for her at the Boardwalk," Sara answered. "Hang on a minute! Where is Skip?" The Marauders looked on dumbfounded as Sara mimicked Katie's frantic searching. They were even more shocked when Lily joined the searching saying, "Where is Edgar? I have to find him!"

"Who the bloody hell are these men?" Sirius asked, frustrated.

"They aren't men you prat," Lily answered from behind the TV. "Skip is the dog Remus won for Sara and Edgar is the elephant James got me."

"Oh," said James, understanding now. "Don't worry about them. They're already packed away."

"Packed away?" asked Sara. The three boys nodded as they pointed to the suitcases at the door.

"Thank goodness," Katie slumped in relief. "You nearly gave me a bloody heart attack and I don't even know what that is!"

Lily and Sara shared a look before saying, "Wizard kids," with a shake of their heads.

"Now that we're all calm and accounted for, are you ready to go?" Remus asked sweetly. The girls nodded eagerly and rushed to the door.

"Um, we aren't driving," Sirius said. "We know you love road trips, but we're Apparating today." Katie and Sara nodded but Lily looked sullen.

"What's wrong, Lily?" James asked as he put a finger under Lily's chin to get her to look at him.

"My birthday's not til next week," Lily said sadly. "I'm not of age." James smiled fondly at her and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"You don't think I don't know that, Lily?" he asked sweetly. "I'll be taking you by side-along Apparition." Lily grinned at him as he picked up their bags in one hand and took hers in his other. "Ready to go?" he asked. Everyone nodded excitedly.

Five pops were heard and the house was empty. The group felt the uncomfortable feeling of being squeezed through a tube before they were blinking in the bright sunlight. The girls began to jump up and down as they saw Cinderella's castle peeking over a line of trees.

"Let's go put our bags at the hotel we're staying at and get going!" Katie said excitedly.

"We'll worry about the hotel later," said Sirius with an inconspicuous wink. Remus had to cover his laugh with a cough as James cast a shrinking spell on their bags. When the suitcases were roughly the size of a pack of gum, he handed some to Sirius and Remus while he stowed two in his back pocket.

"Alright ladies. Let's go meet Mickey!" James exclaimed with a silly smile. Laughing, Lily grabbed his hand and rushed towards the castle that had once seemed the most magical place in the world to her. Looking back, she laughed at how wrong she had been.

**Please please please don't hate me! I know it's been entirely too long. With AP classes, dual enrollment, and college applications I barely have time to breathe, let alone write! My deadlines are slowly approaching so hopefully my schedule will calm down a bit very soon and I can return to my magical world!**

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**

**They would really make me smile **


	17. Chapter 17

**My lovies! Thank you for the reviews! They truly make my nonsocial life much better Now I will immerse you back into my magical world!**

**DISCLAIMER: not mine. You know the drill people.**

Lily bounded down Main Street USA as Cinderella's Castle loomed ahead of her. Katie and Sara held her hands as they avoided being separated. The Marauders had given up on keeping up with the girls and settled for James keeping an eye out for Lily's vibrant red hair. Lily finally halted in front of the statue of Walt Disney himself and Mickey.

"He must have been a really brilliant man," Lily breathed, awestruck. Katie nodded as Sara turned to look for the boys.

Sirius had nearly tackled a man carrying a large amount of clear balloons with different colored Mickey heads inside before James had wrestled him away from the confused looking man. "James! I want one of those! Did you see them! It was a balloon INSIDE another balloon shaped like Mickey!" he exclaimed. James sighed at his friend's childish antics as Remus steered the pair towards the Walt Disney statue.

"There they are," Remus said, pointing at the girls. James broke into a light run to reach them. Sirius grudgingly followed Remus, casting several backwards glances at the balloons.

"Where to first, milady?" James asked as he bowed dramatically to Lily. She shook her head with a laugh.

"Space mountain please, sir," she said with a curtsy. James chuckled and offered her his arm. Lily accepted it with a smile and set off to TomorrowLand. She gaped at the gateway that would lead them to the area of the park. Sirius sprinted past Lily and James dragging Katie by the hand. She laughed freely as her long brown hair whipped in the wind and her brown eyes were alight with joy. Remus and Sara were not far behind as they raced to Space Mountain.

"Come on, Lily!" James called with a whoop of laughter. Lily started to run but James bent down and gestured for her to climb on his back. Lily tipped her head back in a laugh and obliged him. James took off as quickly as he could and caught his friends just as they reached the line entrance. Winded, they all leaned on each other as they caught their breath. Lily was the first to recover as she hadn't actually ran. She made to get in the long line when James caught her arm.

"What?" she asked. James inclined his head to a squat old woman who appeared to be looking for somebody. Lily looked at him questioningly as he caught his breath.

"Follow us, my dears," Sirius said with a secretive grin. The Marauders led the way to the elderly woman. Lily, Katie, and Sara followed as they tried to figure out what the boys could possibly be up to.

As the woman turned, her face lit up with recognition. "Oh don't tell me! Don't tell me! You must be Sirius and Remus and James!" she said nodding to each young man in return.

"Yes ma'am," Remus replied kindly. The woman nodded with a smile and then approached the girls.

"Now let me see. Red hair and eyes like emeralds—you must be Lily," the lady said. Lily nodded shyly. The strange woman turned to Katie next. "Dark haired beauty, warm chocolate eyes, and the tallest of the three. Katie." Once again the woman was right. With a kind smile the lady turned to Sara. "Short brown hair, sparkling blue eyes, and the height of a pixie. You're Sara." Sara nodded uncertainly. "Splendid! Well my dears, I am your Fairy Godmother! I am here to make your dreams come true!" The girls gaped in shock as the Marauders grinned with pride.

"Y—you did this?" Katie stuttered. The boys nodded with a smirk. This action was met with a similar response to the morning. Katie ran to Sirius, threw her arms around his neck, and snogged him. Sara flung herself at Remus and gave him a peck on the lips as he lifted her off the ground. Lily sprinted to James and hugged him tight around the neck as he spun her in a circle.

"How did you do this?" Lily asked, pulling back slightly to see his face. James grinned at her and spun her around again.

"We Marauders have our ways," he replied with a wink. Lily laughed and turned back to their Fairy Godmother who was smiling knowingly at them.

"So how exactly does this work?" Sara asked.

"Well my dear," the woman replied, "you make a wish and I grant it. I am yours today and tomorrow," she said with a motherly smile. The girls squealed in delight. "This also means no waiting in line, all expenses are paid, and you can meet anyone you like." Lily's smile was heartbreakingly beautiful and James felt his knees go weak. She crossed over to the woman and pulled her into a hug.

"Thank you so much," she smiled. Katie and Sara joined her and hugged the woman with their own gratitude.

"Don't thank me my dears. Thank these gentlemen," she said as she looked fondly at Remus, Sirius, and James. "Now," she said with a clap of her hands, "let's get you on this ride shall we?" She pulled a wand from her robe. "Bibidi-boppity-boo!" she cried. The young wizards laughed at the silly words as they knew real incantations. The woman pulled six wristbands from her pocket. "Put theses on and go through the white gates at the entrance of every ride. It will take you straight to the front," she said. "Oh I nearly forgot! Here's this," she said handing a small button to Remus, "push this anytime you need me and I'll be right there. You children have fun and just call if you need anything at all!" She smiled at the teens and disappeared into the crowd.

"This is incredible," Lily breathed. "Thank you all so much. I can't believe you did all of this."

"Don't mention it, Lily," Sirius said with a wave of his hand. "We're just glad we could do it for you. Now let's go ride this ride!" The group laughed as Sirius bounded to the white gate the woman had mentioned. Katie ran to catch up with him as the other four followed.

They flashed their wristbands to the ride attendant who ushered them to the front. Lily looked around the interior of the ride and saw what she expected a rocket ship to look like.

"Next, please," a young girl said. The six friends stepped forward and got in the cart. After the girl had checked their restraints, she stepped back to the operating panel. "Please keep your arms and legs inside the ride at all times. Enjoy your ride!" With that, the car lurched forward and plunged into darkness. Sara was in the front and she shrieked as the car turned abruptly and dropped. Sirius was whooping with delight as James laughed at the girls' cries of terror. They took another sharp turn and began climbing. When the coaster reached the peak, it dropped just as quickly.

"Dammit!" Sirius yelled as he snatched hiss hand down. Remus laughed at his friend as he glared at the bars he could not see through the darkness. The cart continued to rise and fall and jerk until it finally slowed to and reentered the lit loading area.

"We hope you enjoyed your ride on Space Mountain. Have a great day," the young girl smiled. Sirius looked at the ride angrily and walked off muttering about "bars being too bloody low." Katie laughed at his grumbling and took his hand in hers. Sirius broke into a grin and pulled her to the exit.

"Where to next?" Remus asked as Sara trailed beside him. Lily pulled a map from James's back pocket. He jumped with a yelp and covered his bum as he gave Lily a questioning glance. Lily was absorbed in the map, her nose nearly touching the paper. Remus chuckled and clapped James on the back.

"The teacups are close," Lily suggested.

"Sounds brilliant!" Katie said as she led the way to the ride. Once again, the armbands proved useful. Miraculously, all six teens packed in one teacup.

"This isn't going to be good…," Sara trailed off. Lily and Katie looked at her questioningly. She nodded at the Marauders who all wore the same malicious smile.

"Uh oh," Katie said as the ride started to move. Almost as if her words were the signal, the boys grabbed the wheel and began to spin the cup. Fast. Before long, the entire world turned into a blur as the teacup spun faster and faster. The castle could no longer be distinguished from trees, the sky, or even people.

Lily threw her head back and laughed freely as her hair whipped wildly through the air. James laughed good-naturedly as he was hit in the face by her long locks. The girls' squeals of delight only encouraged the boys to spin the wheel faster. All too soon the ride slowed to a stop.

Sirius was the first to hop up. He staggered as he stepped out of the cup and gripped the rim for support.

"Why is the rum always gone?" he asked in a convincing imitation of Captain Jack Sparrow. He staggered again. "Oh, that's why." His friends laughed as they too stumbled drunkenly from the teacup.

They all jumped when Lily screamed. "What, Lily?" James asked.

"It's Rapunzel and Flynn!" she shrieked in delight. Katie and Sara caught sight of the pair and squealed as well. Before they could even think of calling her, their Fairy Godmother appeared.

"You wish to meet Princess Rapunzel and Eugene?" she asked, her eyes sparkling. The girls nodded, struck speechless by the real-life fairytale characters. The boys shook their heads but followed none-the-less. "Come along my dears."

They followed the elderly woman as she walked to the princess. She had a quick word with the rope attendant. He smiled with a nod a beckoned the group toward him.

"May I introduce you to Princess Rapunzel and Eugene Fitzherbert?" he asked with a kind smile. The girls nodded feverishly as they were led forward.

"Hello girls," Flynn said with his signature "smolder". "May I ask your names?"

"I'm Lily," the redhead said. The handsome prince stepped forward and placed a tender kiss on her hand. This process repeated as Katie and Sara introduced themselves.

"Let me introduce you to my beautiful princess, Rapunzel," he said gesturing to the woman beside him.

"How do you do?" she asked with a curtsy.

"Very well, thank you," James responded pleasantly from beside Lily.

"Can we get a picture with you?" Sara asked.

"Of course!" Rapunzel laughed. Sirius grabbed the muggle camera he brought and snapped shots as each girl took turns posing with the couple. Once they were finished, the girls hugged Rapunzel and Flynn before leaving. The pair waved as the group made their way to the next ride.

"I can't believe we met Rapunzel!" Katie cried.

"And Flynn Rider!" Sara exclaimed. "He was my childhood crush," she laughed.

"I liked him too," Lily smiled as she reminisced. "Eric was my 'husband' whenever Petunia and I played princess." At this, James grinned at Remus and Sirius. They covered their laughs in a cough.

"What was that?" Sara asked.

"Oh, nothing," Sirius answered as he shot a wink at Remus and James. They hid their smiles from Lily, Katie, and Sara. Katie shrugged and led the way to the next ride.

After a ride in Pooh's honey pots, a voyage with the Pirates of the Caribbean, an adventure on Tom Sawyer Island, the Carousel (much to Sirius's displeasure), the Haunted Mansion (on which Remus "screamed like a little girl" if you were to ask Sirius), and meeting three more fairytale couples, the gang stood in front of It's a Small World.

"Let's go!" Lily yelled, grabbing James's hand as she went. They were immediately ushered into a boat and sailed off into a whimsical world of singing animatronics.

"Oh bloody hell," Sirius whined, "this song is gonna be in my head all day. It's a good thing it's only three minutes—" he trailed off as the boat slowed to a stop. "Oh Godric."

"Guys? What's happening?" Sara asked.

"Get me out of here!" Sirius screamed. He tugged his curly black lock as if he would pull it out. He slid to the floor of the boat and rocked back and forth. "We're trapped. We're gonna be stuck here. We've gotta get out."

"Calm down mate," James says as he patted Sirius's back. "We'll get out soon."

Half an hour later, James prediction had still not come true.

"Argh! I'm never gonna get this song out of my head! That's it! We're calling Fairy Godmother!" Sirius exclaimed. He grabbed the button from Remus and hit it repeatedly. Fifty-seven punches later, the woman appeared by the boat.

"You called?" she asked, her eyes alight with amusement.

"Yes!" Sirius cried desperately. "Please get us out of this bloody boat! These singing kids are starting to scare me and that song is on a permanent loop in my brain!" The Fairy Godmother merely chuckled and waved her wand. Miraculously, the ride began to move again. The young witches and wizards exchanged an astonished look.

"If you need anything else, you know how to reach me my dears," the woman said kindly.

"Thank Merlin," Lily sighed as they finally got off the boat. Sirius sunk to his knees and kissed the ground.

"Honestly man! You put children on that—that _deathtrap_? What is wrong with you?" Sirius shouted at the confused ride attendant.

"Don't mind him," James said as he put his hands on Sirius's shoulders. "He was dropped on his head as a child. Down a flight of stairs. Into a concrete mixer. Twice." With that, James steered Sirius away from the man who was now gaping.

"What's a concrete mixer?" Sirius asked.

"No idea, mate," James chuckled. "Where to next, girls?" he asked.

"The flying elephants!" they cheered.

"Off we go!" Remus chimed in.

"To Neverland!" Sirius continued.

"Second star to the right and straight on 'til morning!" James finished. The Marauders locked arms and marched off.

"I will never understand their friendship," Katie said. Lily and Sara nodded in agreement.

Night was just falling when the six friends rode the final ride in the park.

"Would you fancy a firework show?" Remus asked the girls. Lily, Katie, and Sara nodded eagerly.

Twenty minutes later, the lights went down and a voice came over the crowd. The audience was captivated by a spectacular light show. James and Sirius laughed as Tinkerbell "flew" from the castle. They erupted in applause when Mickey conquered the Evil forces with dreams.

Lily smiled as she looked down at her hand entwined with James's rougher one. When she looked back up, he was staring right at her. Her breath caught in her throat as she gazed into his mesmerizing eyes. James 's glance darted between Lily's eyes and lips. Lily smiled and leaned into him. James went to close the gap between them. They were barely a breath away when Sirius interrupted.

"Oi! James, mate! Come on! We've gotta go!" he called. James groaned in exasperation and touched his forehead to Lily's. She smiled gently at him and placed a sweet kiss on the very corner of his lips.

"Let's go, James," she said softly, keeping their fingers linked. James followed her willingly, only slightly irritated with Sirius. He would have another chance.

"Coming, Lily," he smiled.

Instead of walking towards the exit as she expected, they were fighting the crowd to get to the castle.

"Where are we going?" Lily asked as James pulled ahead of her. Lily was now trailing behind him as he winded through the crowd.

"It's a surprise," he smiled. Soon they were underneath the castle.

"What are we doing—?" Lily stopped when Fairy Godmother walked in the passageway. "Oh," she said.

"Oh indeed, my dear," the woman smiled. "These boys truly are a wonder," she said with a warm smile at the Marauders. "Follow me, please."

The group followed her when she stopped in front of a wall. Lily opened her mouth to ask what they were doing when the woman pulled a torch on the wall. The wall opened to reveal a secret passageway to a spiral staircase.

"Follow these steps until you reach a door. That is where you will stay tonight. I will see you in the morning. I would suggest getting some sleep tonight, my dears. You're in for the surprise of your life tomorrow," she said with a twinkle in her eye.

Lily, Katie, and Sara looked at one another questioningly as they were pulled up the stairs.

"Don't look so scared," Sirius grinned cheekily, "we aren't leading you to a herd of dementors."

"I wouldn't be so sure…" Katie trailed off. Sirius shot her a rougish grin and a wink as he reached the door. He pushed it open and they all gasped. The room was luxurious, clearly meant for royalty.

"You guys are the best," Lily breathed as she pulled James, Remus, and Sirius into a fierce hug.

"Go look around!" James grinned. On each door, there was a name. Lily quickly found her room. She pushed the door open to find a nautical-themed bedroom. On the four poster bed, she saw a note. When she opened the envelope, she saw it was from Fairy Godmother: _I suggest you acquaint yourself with the movie in your television. Sweet dreams, my dear_. Lily thought her grin might break her face as it stretched to the absolute limits. Katie and Sara came bursting into Lily's room with smiles that competed with her own.

"You got one too?" Katie asked, holding her letter. Lily nodded.

"What movie did you get?" Sara asked. Lily went to her TV and ejected the movie. She smiled when she saw the title.

"The Little Mermaid," she answered.

"I got Beauty and the Beast," Katie said.

"I got Tangled," Sara responded.

"We better watch them," Lily grinned.

"Yeah, see you in the morning!" Katie exclaimed as she hugged Lily and Sara. The two returned to their own rooms.

Lily changed into her pajamas and put her movie in. Just as the previews started, there was a knock at the door. James's head popped through the crack.

"Hey Lily. We got the same movie. Want to watch it together?" he asked shyly. His timidity struck Lily as odd but nonetheless, she patted the spot next to her. James leaped onto the bed and laid back on the pillows.

Halfway through the movie, Lily had wormed her way into James's arms and was pressed firmly against his chest. James was slowly running his fingers through her hair. As the credits rolled, her breathing even out and her eyes fell shut. James pulled her closer before pressing a kiss to her temple.

"Sleep well my princess," he said softly. He grimaced at the thought of Sirius or Remus hearing him say something so cheesy. He looked back to Lily and smiled as her lips curved upwards in a smile. He gently untangled himself from her and tucked the blankets firmly around her.

"Until tomorrow," he smiled as he shut the door quietly.

Lily Evans lay warm in her bed as she dreamed of castles, princesses, and princes with tousled dark hair and charming smiles.


	18. Chapter 18

**Hello my dears! How's Disney? I hope you loved it as much as I loved writing it! Thank you so much for the reviews guys!**

**As I write this chapter, I have a wrapped hand. Apparently I have tendonitis in my thumb. Typing isn't the easiest with an ACE bandage on so please forgive me for any mistakes! In my mind, I am imagining the wrap is a result from a bludger in a Quidditch match. It seems to help There is also a Harry Potter marathon on! Whoop whoop!**

**Now we have the big surprise I've been talking about for months! Are you ready? I am! Here it is!**

**Disclaimer: JK Rowling created these characters. Not me.**

**Now onto the story!**

"Lily, dear, I need you to wake up please."

Lily groaned as someone prodded her gently. The voice sounded vaguely familiar but she couldn't place it. She was still lost in her dream. She fought to remember it. There had been a handsome prince who looked a lot like James. If she really thought about it, the prince was James. There had been a tower and a dragon… the details were a little foggy in her mind.

"Lily," the voice said again. Oh yeah, someone was trying to wake her. Lily opened one eye sleepily and was met with an elderly woman beaming at her. Of course! This was Fairy Godmother.

"Good morning," she yawned as she sat up and stretched.

"Good morning to you too my sweet. Sorry to wake you but breakfast is ready." Lily smiled at the woman gratefully as her stomach rumbled.

"Don't be sorry," she said as she threw the covers back. "I'm really hungry." Fairy Godmother led her into a small dining room down the hall. Katie and Sara were already seated at the table enjoying quite a spread.

"Wow," Katie laughed, "you managed to get her up. You're good." Fairy Godmother smiled at her.

"I'll admit, it wasn't easy," she laughed.

"Sorry," Lily said impishly.

"Not to worry my dear. Have some breakfast and I'll be back soon." With that she left the room and the girls heard the main door to the suite click shut.

Lily ravenously grabbed a plate and loaded it with biscuits, bacon, and scrambled eggs. Looking around she noticed the Marauders' absence.

"Where are James, Remus, and Sirius?" she asked as she buttered her biscuit.

"Beats me," Katie answered as she handed Lily the blackberry jam before she had to ask. Lily smiled gratefully. "I asked her but she just said we'll see them later."

"They're up to something," Sara said as she poured herself more apple juice.

"I think you're right," Lily replied. They ate in comfortable silence until a sly grin crossed Katie's face.

"I got up to use the loo last night and I bumped into someone. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you Lils?" Lily nearly choked as Katie eyed her suspiciously. Sara hid her mouth behind her napkin as she tried not to giggle.

"Er, no clue, K. Who'd you run into?" Lily asked deciding ignorance was the best route.

"Don't be coy with me Lily Marie Evans. I saw James coming out of your room last night. The git was stuttering like mad. I don't think I've ever seen his hair that ruffled," Katie grinned as she knew she had caught her best friend.

"We were just watching a movie!" Lily blurted out.

"Ha! I got you!" Katie laughed as she pointed at Lily. The redhead blushed furiously and she looked down at her lap.

"It's alright, Lily," Sara smiled. "Remus watched Tangled with me last night." Lily looked up at her friend thankfully while Katie looked shocked.

"What the bloody hell is this?" she spat. "If I'd known this was supposed to be a sleepover I would've made Black come watch my movie with me!" Lily laughed at the use of Sirius's surname.

"Hey! Last names are a James and Lily thing! You can't take that from us," she said as she poked Katie in the side. The three friends continued to laugh and speculate where the Marauders were.

Fairy Godmother walked in just as Lily threw a biscuit at Katie's head for suggesting she hadn't just been watching a movie with James. The woman smiled at the group as they continued their banter. Clearing her throat to announce her presence, she said, "Are you girls ready?"

"Ready for what?" Sara asked.

"To get ready for the day," she responded.

"Get ready?" Lily asked. "What do you mean? We can't get ready ourselves?"

"I'm afraid not deary," Fairy Godmother responded. "If you'll just follow me, I'll explain." Obligingly, Lily, Katie, and Sara followed the woman as she opened yet another secret passageway. Like the other, this one also led to a staircase. As they climbed, they passed stained glass windows, each one depicting a princess.

"Where are we going?" Katie asked as the staircase continued to spiral.

"We're nearly there," the old woman puffed. "Just another minute." Sure enough, one minute later they stood on front of an ornate wooden door. "Welcome to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique!" she said as she pushed the door open. The girls gasped as they saw the spacious salon. Well, salon didn't quite describe it. It was more like heaven in a bathroom.

"W-w-what is all this for?" Lily stammered.

Fairy Godmother chuckled. "It seems your boys think very highly of you. I believe they described you as 'modern day princesses' and wanted you to get what you deserved. They called me about a month ago and set the whole thing up. I take it you watched your movies?" Each girl nodded. "Splendid. Today, you will be those princesses. Lily you will be Ariel, Katie you will be Belle, and Sara you will be Rapunzel. You will get to be in the princess parade, the 'Dreams Come True' show, and there is another surprise tonight," as she said this, the girls gaped.

Lily spoke up first. "We don't know the routine to the show," she choked out. She was so overwhelmed by how incredibly sweet this was that her mind wasn't keeping up.

"Don't worry dear. I assure you, your partners are well rehearsed," Fairy Godmother answered with a twinkle in her eye. "Now are you ready to become a princess?" The girls nodded eagerly. "Wonderful. I'll just leave these ladies to it. They will be in charge of your hair and makeup. Meet Stella, Bridgette, and Morgan," she said as she indicated to three nice looking young women. "I'll see you soon my dears!" and with that, she took her leave.

"Wow," Sara finally choked out. Lily and Katie nodded, flabbergasted. The three stylists chuckled and led the girls to a chair.

"Those must be some boys," Bridgette smiled as she began to wash Sara's hair.

"Yeah," Morgan agreed as she started working on Lily's nails, "wherever did you find them?" she asked conversationally.

"Does this happen often?" Lily asked as Morgan filed her nails.

"Never," she answered. "This room is only used for bridal parties and we all work in the little kids' boutique downstairs. I honestly don't know how they swung this." Lily, Katie, and Sara shared a knowing glance. They knew exactly how the Marauders negotiated this. Charm. They were all brimming with it, and even over the phone they could be quite convincing.

"So what are their names?" Stella asked as she brushed through Katie's wet hair.

"James, Sirius, and Remus," Lily answered. Morgan looked up from her fingernails to smile at Lily.

"I'm guessing James belongs to you," she grinned. Lily looked at her questioningly. "Your face lit up when you said his name," Morgan answered the unasked question.

"We aren't together," Lily admitted. Morgan's eyebrows shot up and her mouth opened slightly.

"And he still did this for you?" she asked incredulously. "Pardon my language, but damn. That's one hell of a man. Please tell me you two are dating the other two," she said as she looked to Katie and Sara.

"I'm dating Sirius but I don't always claim him," Katie laughed.

"Remus and I are together," Sara said dreamily.

"Is James defective or something?" Bridgette giggled.

"No," Katie answered before Lily could, "Lily's just stubborn."

"Am not," Lily retorted. Katie quirked an eyebrow at her and smirked. Hang on a moment….

"Oh bloody hell," Lily breathed.

"What's wrong?" Sara asked anxiously.

"Katie just smirked." Lily answered.

"And?" Sara asked.

"It was an exact replica of Sirius's smirk," Lily said as if she was announcing a death.

"Oh no," Sara said as if she was terribly afraid.

"Oh sod off," Katie grinned.

"We can't let him brainwash you!" Lily said dramatically. "If we don't do something, soon enough you'll start walking with that wiggle in your hips that Sirius does and you'll snore and you'll eat more than should be legal! It's going to be alright, Katie. We're here to help you," Lily said comfortingly as she patted Katie's hand.

"You've gone bonkers, Lily," she laughed.

"You still love me," Lily smiled.

"Only because I have to," Katie snorted. Lily smirked back at her before turning back to Morgan. Their stylists were very curious about these oddly sweet boys who had done this for the three friends. After explaining each boy's appearance, personality, and quirks in detail, Lily was shocked to find how much she really knew about James. She knew he used mint toothpaste, he was extremely afraid of the dark, he slept on his right side, he loved strawberry ice cream with chocolate sauce, and he was especially talented at crossword puzzles. This knowledge had been gained over the course of six years, living in the same space. She was bound to know many things about him because of this, but knowing which side he slept on? Lily wasn't entirely sure how she even knew that detail. As she contemplated any other things she knew about James, Morgan began to put pretty loose curls in her red hair.

"You make a very pretty Ariel," Morgan said as she misted Lily's hair with hair spray.

"Thank you," Lily smiled as she took in her appearance. Morgan was definitely skilled in cosmetology. Lily had never seen her eyes look greener. The shades Morgan had chosen complemented her coloring beautifully.

"I know her eyes are blue, but yours are green like the sea. Plus, they're too pretty to use contacts over," Morgan said sweetly. Lily smiled at her. "Ready for your dress?" she asked.

"Yes ,please!" Lily enthused. Morgan chuckled and led her into a changing room. After carefully tugging the dress over her head and adjusting the many skirts, Lily finally looked in the mirror. The dress was an exact replica of Ariel's pink dress. It was gorgeous.

"Perfect," Morgan cooed as she put pearl earrings on Lily.

"Thank you so much," Lily breathed as she spun to look at the dress from all angles.

"No problem," Morgan chirped. "It was a nice change from dressing up little girls." She led Lily back to the main room to wait for Sara and Katie.

Sara emerged first. She was the spitting image of Rapunzel when her golden locks had been cut. Sara's short hair had been spiked at the ends to make it look a little wild. She looked darling in Rapunzel's signature purple dress. She twirled to let Lily see the dress.

"You look so pretty," Lily gushed.

"Thank you! You do too, Lils! James is gonna die when he sees you!" Lily blushed at her words. Katie walked in the room as Lily was about to deny it. She was a vision in Belle's gold dress. Her hair was swept back elegantly and hung down her back in thick ringlets.

"Wow, Katie," Lily smiled. "You look lovely."

"Thanks," Katie smiled shyly as she swished the skirts.

"Well I think you all three look marvelous and we're done just in time," Stella said as she began to usher the girls to the door. "We'll walk down with you so we can watch the show." The six girls descended the stairs slowly so they didn't mess up the elegant ball gowns. When they finally reached the ground floor, Lily, Katie, and Sara were met with another surprise.

Waiting for them under the castle were the Marauders looking dapper in their prince ensembles. Lily's breath caught as she saw James. He was in Prince Eric's white suit. Her wildest childhood fantasies about her first crush were completely outshone by this 'Eric'. James caught sight of her and broke into a smile that curled Lily's toes. He walked over to Lily, bowed deeply, and took her hand to place a gentle kiss on it.

"You look stunning, Princess," he said suavely. Lily's inner twelve year old was screaming that this was the greatest day ever. Her sixteen-nearly-seventeen self agreed as well.

"Well hello my Prince. You're looking very handsome. What's the occasion?" Lily asked, playing along.

"Well," James said as he went to ruffle his hair. He stopped when remembered that it had been gelled back. "I heard there was a beautiful princess in need of a dance partner and an escort to the ball tonight so I jumped at the chance." Lily swooned at the charming smile he sent her way that he only ever used for her. The music changed outside and James grabbed her hand. "We're on," he smiled. Lily suddenly felt really nervous as he tugged her on stage, but her fears vanished as soon as they took the first step. Fairy Godmother was right; her partner was very well rehearsed. As James twirled her around the stage, Lily became lost in the story. They were no longer dressing up as characters. No, they were a prince and a princess. Logic fled from her mind and she was captured by the magic of Disney. She smiled as if she had never had a single woe. She finally climbed down from the high as the music slowed and James led her off the stage.

"That was fun!" Sirius exclaimed once they were backstage. Lily turned to look at him and was relieved to see that he was not the actual Beast, but the prince. His natural air of regality was shining more than it ever had in the princely clothing. She looked at Remus and saw that he made a very convincing Flynn Rider in his blue vest and tan breeches.

"You guys look wonderful," Katie grinned as she took in all their appearances.

"Back at you, Beautiful," Sirius said as he placed a sweet kiss to her cheek.

A man in a black suit walked up to the group with a kind smile on his face. "The parade is soon. We'll need you to come backstage to get on the float." Sirius nodded at the man and took Katie's hand in his own as he followed the man. Sara took Remus's arm and followed Sirius.

"You really do look beautiful," James smiled as he led Lily after their friends. "Forgive me for using that word. There isn't a word in the English language that could capture how wonderful you look right now." He looked down at Lily with lovestruck eyes. Lily sucked in a breath. Could Dream Boy be real? I mean, come on. What kind of bloke could say something that sappy and make it sound so sincere. Lily could think of only one.

"I think your Prince costume is affecting your head, James," Lily grinned, "you're acting especially chivalrous today."

"Only for you, m'lady," James shot back with a wink.

They arrived at a large gate and the man in the suit stopped. He pressed a button on a box and a voice crackled from the speaker. "Password?"

"Pixie dust," the man answered. The six Hogwarts students looked at each other amusedly as the gates swung open. It looked like Disney World had gotten some tips from Hogwarts.

Katie gasped in shock when she saw Tigger with his head off. "Oh Merlin! Sirius hide my eyes!" she commanded as she slammed Sirius's hand over her face. "I don't want to ruin the magic!" Sirius smiled at her endearingly and closed his eyes as well in order to keep the illusion for himself. Lily hid her face in James's back as he stumbled blindly forward. Sara kept her hand in Remus's and used the other to cover her eyes as he did the same thing. Their guide chuckled as he saw them stumbling around.

"If you all hold on to each other I don't mind to lead you," he smiled. The six friends smiled at him appreciatively and made a chain. The man grabbed Katie's wrist and led them to the float. "We're here," he said as he halted. He led each couple to their spot on the float as they kept their eyes shut. "Have a nice parade."

"Thanks mate," James replied. The man took his leave just as the float began to move. Soon after, they were in the park and either side of the parade route was packed with park goers. Small children oohed and ahhed at the characters passed by.

"Look at Ariel, Mommy! Isn't she pretty?"

"Oh, look! There's Belle! She's my favorite!"

"Daddy! Daddy! Look! It's Rapunzel! I told you she was real! Look how pretty she is!"

Lily's face was alight with happiness as she waved at all the people. James grinned at little girls as they stared at him.

"Momma, I'm going to marry Prince Eric one day."

"No, Sissy! Flynn Rider is my boyfriend!"

"The Beast is so handsome after Belle broke that spell."

The Marauders soaked up the attention and flashed charming smiles at the crowd causing some moms to swoon. Sirius really loved the limelight.

"I would like to thank you all for coming to see me today. You Americans have really made me feel welcome and for this, I present you with bouncy balls!" he exclaimed as he threw several balls into the crowd. Children flocked to the toys as if they had fallen from Heaven. Sirius winced as one small girl punched a boy in the stomach to get a prize.

"Sirius, don't provoke them," James warned.

"I'm sorry Your Highness!" Sirius squeaked as if he was a commoner being punished by the King. "I just wanted to spread some wealth to the poor!"

"Wrong character, Padfoot," Remus chuckled. "You're supposed to be the Beast, not Robin Hood."

"Oh right," Sirius said as he remembered his role. "Holy Unicorn turds! It's Chip and Mrs. Potts and Cogsworth and Lumiere! Hey guys! I'm over here!" he called as he waved his arms madly at the costumed,characters.

"I don't think they heard you," Katie giggled as she pulled Sirius's arms down. "Smile and wave, honey," she grinned. Sirius turned to the crowd with a cheesy grin and waved like a madman. He even shot several mothers a rougish wink.

"Will he ever learn?" Lily chuckled as she too waved at the crowd.

"Probably not but that's Pads for you," James laughed.

Lily looked back at her friends to see they were all perfectly in character. Katie and Sirius were waltzing around the float looking every bit in love. Remus was sending smolders left and right while Sara brandished a frying pan threateningly at him. Lily laughed as she tried to imagine where the frying pan had possibly come from. She turned back to James and saw him grinning at a little girl. He turned back to Lily with a smile.

"Here you are, Princess," he said sweetly as he discreetly conjured a flower in the palm of his hand from his wand. He tucked behind Lily's hair and cradled her face in his hand tenderly. Instinctively, Lily turned into his hand and nuzzled his palm.

"Thank you," she said as she looked up to James. He looked down at her, confused. She had never noticed his height before. He had to be over six foot as he towered over her five foot four stature.

"What for, Lily?" he asked.

"For this," she answered. "For everything. I've been so awful to you these past six years, but still, here you are doing incredible things for me. I don't even know how you managed this, James."

"That is thanks enough," James smiled as her as if she was his light through a dark night.

"What is?" Lily asked.

"Hearing you call me James," he answered simply. "It's one of the most precious sounds I hear. It's a welcomed changed though you are utterly adorable when you're angry with me. You puff up and you spit 'Potter!' heatedly. Sirius always gets a laugh out of our rows," he chuckled. Lily smiled at him sadly.

"I'm really sorry, James," Lily said, making a point to use his name more often. "I was just holding on to the grudge of an eleven year old girl. I was so blinded by my bitterness I couldn't see all the changes you made. I'm definitely seeing them now."

"Oh, Lily," James sighed contentedly, "you have no idea how long I've waited to hear that," he said as he tucked her under his arm and placed a gentle kiss on her temple. Lily smiled as she breathed in his musky scent.

The parade continued and after much scolding from Katie to Sirius, the float finally made its way behind closed gates.

"That was brilliant!" Sirius cheered as he hopped from the float and turned to assist Katie.

"I believe Remus has perfected Flynn's 'smolder'," Sara giggled as Remus picked her up from the float and sent her his best 'smolder', making her swoon.

"M'lady," James said as he offered his hand to Lily.

"I think James's prince pants are too tight," Lily laughed as she took his hand and hopped down. "He's acting entirely too nice."

"I don't think it's the pants," Sirius snickered to Remus.

"Oh hush," James huffed.

"What's next?" Sara asked as she smoothed her dress.

"Shows my dear," Remus replied as he offered his arm to her.

"So that's why you wouldn't let us watch any yesterday!" Katie exclaimed. James chuckled.

"Yes it is, Katie," he grinned as he threw an arm around Lily.

"We didn't think you would like riding Space Mountain in a dress like that," Sirius said as he pulled Katie towards the main park.

The Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular was first on the list. Remus had screamed in horror as the boulder nearly crushed Indy. Lily had restrained James as he almost Reductoed the giant rock.

"It's fake!" she yelled as she grabbed his arm before he could shout the incantation.

Sirius pouted that they had not watched the Indiana Jones movies yet and was only placated once Katie assured him that they would watch them once they were home.

After the stunt show, they watched the Beauty and the Beast show. James's face was alight with childlike wonder as Mrs. Potts, Chip, Cogsworth, Lumiere, and all the other knick-knacks came to life on the stage.

It was nearing dark when the play ended so the Marauders decided it was time to go to the castle. Remus had a fit when they saw Pocahontas and ran to quiz her about tribe traditions. Sara ran after him and was forced to drag him away from the confused cast member.

"Hurry up!" James called as they neared the castle. "It's starting soon!" When he pulled Lily under the castle and went to the secret door, she stopped. "Come on, Lily," he urged.

"Aren't we watching the fireworks?" Lily asked.

"Yes," James smiled, "but we've got better seats." With a heart-tugging grin, he pulled Lily up the staircase with him. At one point, a landing split three ways and Lily heard her friends take the other two. As they climbed higher and higher, they came to a balcony.

"Oh James!" Lily gasped as she took in the breathtaking view. The balcony was on the topmost tower of the castle and overlooked Mainstreet USA.

"It was nothing," James shrugged.

"It was everything," Lily smiled as she leaned back into his chest. James eagerly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. He nuzzled his face in the crook of her neck as the show started. They remained like this until Lily turned. James kept his arms around her waist as he looked down at her.

"What?" he asked. Lily merely shook her head and stretched up on her toes to lock their lips in a kiss. James was so shocked he initially forgot to kiss her back. Once he caught on, he responded enthusiastically as if he was trying to fit six years of pent up longing in that one kiss. Lily felt his tongue run along her lower lip, begging for entrance. Lily opened her mouth to him and their tongues danced in a heated struggle for dominance. Lily sighed against James's mouth as his wicked lip teased and sucked her own. The heated passion eventually died down to a sweet kiss. James was the one to pull back first. He pecked Lily's lips once. Twice. And then rested his forehead against hers. They grinned at each other, their labored breathing mingling together. James placed a loving kiss on Lily's forehead and turned her back around to the fireworks. He pulled her back into his chest and entwined their fingers. Lily sighed happily as she leaned back into his broad chest and laughed to herself. It seemed the magic of Disney made the impossible, possible after all.

**Well? How was it! Did you like it? Did you hate it? Too cheesy? Let me know!**

**I also posted links to the costumes our dear friends wore in this chapter on my profile if you wanted to see!**

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Oh My Rowling! You all must hate me! I am so very sorry for this massive delay. The stresses of applying for colleges are finally dying down so hopefully the updates will be a little steadier.**

**Any who, thank you all so much for the reviews! I was really afraid the last chapter was too cheesy but it appears you liked it! This being said, don't hate me now…**

**If anyone is looking for a book series to read, I HIGHLY recommend The Hunger Games! They're no Potter, but they're truly brilliant. I was enthralled by them. As I say this, I plan to mention them in my story momentarily…..**

**Now that I'm done chatting, let us move on.**

**Disclaimer: Potter isn't mine though I wish it was my last name… Neither do I own The Hunger Games**

**Now onto the story!**

Lilyrocked backed in forth in a hammock on the beach. Her fingers dug a light trail in the sand as she drug her hand through it. The world around her had ceased to exist as she dove into the tale of _The Hunger Games_. Shadow sat at her feet eagerly awaiting her to throw the tennis ball he had just retrieved. After a short period of being ignored, he poked his nose in her book.

"Shadow!" Lily laughed as she pushed him away. Shadow's expression clearly stated, "If you can have your nose in that book so can I."

"I'm sorry, boy," she said as she scratched him behind the ear affectionately. Shadow hummed in contentment as he laid his head heavily on Lily's stomach. "I've been ignoring you lately haven't I? I know the feeling, believe me," she added as an afterthought. The pretty redhead glanced down the beach where James and Sirius were playing Frisbee. Remus sat on the porch with a book. As James laughed, Lily sighed sadly. She had thought the kiss would jumpstart a relationship between them, but this was not the case. It had been nearly two weeks and James hadn't so much as acknowledged the kiss. In fact, he acted as if it never happened. He still talked to Lily and flirted with her but it was as if everything was exactly the same.

"Shadow, what am I going to do?" she asked quietly. She hadn't told Katie or Sara yet and she expected them to be very hacked off about this. She had no one to turn to for advice. Lily thought she knew James and the James Potter she knew would not be so aloof about kissing her. The James Potter she knew would be jumping at the chance to do it again. A disturbing thought settled in her stomach. What if after all these years, James was really in it for the chase? If he was, he finally caught her, that was for sure. Lily angrily wiped away the lone tear that spilled from her eyes.

"Lily?" Katie asked. Oh great. Now she would have to find an excuse for crying.

"Yeah, K?" Lily asked, a bit too chipper. Katie rolled her eyes at the attempted cover.

"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned.

"Oh it's just my book," Lily lied smoothly. Had it been anyone but Katie, they would have easily swallowed her bluff. Katie shot her the "I know you're lying now spill it" look and before Lily could control herself, she flung herself at Katie. Her arms flew around Katie's neck and she sobbed into her hair.

"Lily! What is it? Please, talk to me!" Katie exclaimed. With much difficulty, she managed to drag Lily from the hammock and towards the house without the Marauders noticing. "Lily, you're going to have to help me a bit," she said as she started across the sand. Lily obliged but kept her face in Katie's hair. "Shadow, grab the book, boy," Katie nodded at the dog. Ever the genius, Shadow seemed to nod his head at her order and picked the book up gingerly in his mouth.

Once in the house, Katie dropped Lily on her bed. She hugged her tight as Lily's sniffles subsided.

"Do you want me to get Sara?" she asked. Lily shook her head.

"I just need you right now, K," Lily sniffed. Katie nodded as she rubbed soothing circles on Lily's back.

"Ok," she said. "Do you want to talk yet?" Lily bit her trembling lip and nodded. The words flowed from her mouth as if a dam had burst. Katie fought to keep up with her words as Lily told her everything James had whispered throughout the day in Disney and ended with the kiss.

"Lily! That's fantastic!" Katie cried as she hugged her best friend. This only seemed to make Lily sadder. "What's wrong? You should be happy! Don't even try to tell me you don't fancy James. I know you do."

"That's just it!" Lily shouted her anger from earlier resurfacing. "If I hadn't just bloody told you what happened you would've never known!" She hopped up from the bed and started pacing. She tugged her hair in frustration. "I finally open up to him and what does he do? He goes on with his bloody business as if it never happened! This happened two weeks ago and none of you even knew because he didn't even let on like anything has changed! Everything has changed for me! But maybe I was wrong. I mean he is James The Heartbreaker Bloody Potter! Of course he wouldn't act differently. It was all a game to him and now he's won! He'll probably never stop talking about how he finally caught me!" she sucked in a deep breath after her rampage and panted heavily. Katie sat staring at her with wide eyes before shaking her head.

"Lily, I'm just as mad at that git as you are, but you need to take a step back. Think about it. All you're saying is everything _he _isn't doing. Well what about you? Why should he have to be the one to make the move? You said yourself that you kissed him. He's probably just as confused as you are. He really cares about you, Lils. He's putting you before himself. James is probably dying to get his lips on you again but he doesn't want to push you. All these years, he's been making the moves. It's your turn, Lily," Katie finished as Lily continued to pace. She eventually slowed and sunk to the rug below and pulled her knees to her chest.

"Why does this have to be so hard, Katie?" she asked quietly looking as he knees. Katie smiled at her best friend and slid beside her. She wrapped her arm around Lily's shoulder and squeezed gently.

"It wouldn't be as great if it wasn't hard," she answered simply. "If you aren't willing to fight for love then it isn't love." Lily looked at her friend perplexed.

"Since when did you become so philosophical?" Lily asked.

"I didn't," Kati shrugged. "I read that on one of those fortune cookies we got with our Chinese food." The girls stared at each other for a long moment before collapsing on each other in a fit of giggles.

"We should use those in Divination! They're probably more accurate than those bloody crystal balls!" Lily laughed. Katie snorted at her aversion to the horrible subject.

Their laughing slowly subsided and they were left leaning against each other. Shadow pushed his head into Lily's chest.

"I'm ok now big guy," she smiled. "Luckily I've got you and Katie to cheer me up."

"Luckily you have Katie to fix your problems," Katie interjected.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked, slightly afraid.

"You're going to have to tell Sara eventually you know. Now's a good of time as ever," Katie shrugged. Lily nodded and went to find Sara.

"Sara! Where are you?" she called as she walked down the stairs.

"Right here," Sara said as she walked out of the kitchen. "It sounds like I missed a party up there," she laughed. Lily shrugged before launching into her story about James.

"Well, I have to say, I agree with Katie. James is trying to keep your best interest at heart even if he's coming off as a prat," Sara said.

"See?" Katie said gesturing to Sara, "I'm right, now let's fix this."

"How?" Lily asked again.

"James has chased you for years, Lily. Now, you're gonna chase him," Katie grinned evilly, "But right before he catches you, you're gonna turn the game around." With this, Katie snatched Lily by the arm and drug her up the stairs.

{PAGE BREAK}

"James! Sirius!" Remus called from the porch. The two boys ran up the stairs to their friend.

"What is it Moony?" James panted after their intense game of Frisbee.

"That was Katie. She said, and I quote, 'You lot better have your arses ready by eight thirty or I'll _Avada _you.' She's a bit of a spitfire. Sure you can handle her, Sirius?" he chuckled.

"Yeah, Padfoot," James jeered. "She might whip you into shape."

"Oh I was imagining she would use a whip for other things," Sirius winked roguishly.

"Sirius! Does your depravity know no bounds?" Remus asked looking scandalized.

"I'm only joking, Moony," Sirius laughed. "Did she say where we're going?"

"She just said we're going dancing and to wear dress shirts," Remus shrugged. "Now go get in the shower! Honestly, you smell like a bunch of wild animals," he laughed.

"Only for you Remus," James grinned. Remus punched him lightly as he walked by.

After quickly showering and dressing, the Marauders were ready.

"It's only eight. Should we wait?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah, we don't want to interrupt their prep time," Remus chuckled good naturedly.

"Ok," James agreed as he sat on the couch. Quiet settled in the room and Sirius was reaching for the remote when James stopped him. "Hang on."

"What is it, mate?" Sirius asked as he leaned back. James took a deep breath.

"LilykissedmeatDisney," he rushed.

"Come again?" Remus asked.

"Lily. Kissed. Me. At. Disney," James enunciated.

"Are you sure?" Sirius asked.

"Of course he's sure!" Remus exclaimed. "I think he'd bloody well know if a bird kissed him."

"How was it?" Sirius asked as he turned to James.

"It was everything I imagined," James breathed sounding every bit the lovestruck teenager he was.

"Hang on," Remus said, "If she kissed you, what happened?"

"Well Remus when people kiss their lips usually touch," Sirius barked out a laugh.

"I didn't mean it like that you prat," Remus waved him off. "I mean why has nothing changed?"

"Well, I'm letting her make the next move," James shrugged.

"Why?" Sirius asked.

"Because I've pushed her enough already. I've drove her completely bonkers for the past six years. I don't want to push her into anything she isn't ready for. When she jumps, I'll jump with her," he answered.

"Wow," Remus said.

"What, Moony?"

"I never thought I'd see the day you grew up, James," Remus smiled.

"Oh Moony, I'll never grow up," James grinned, "I'll just do whatever it takes to get Lily."

"I think that means growing up mate," Sirius chuckled.

"Not completely," James smiled fondly.

**{PAGE BREAK}**

"Ready, Lily?" Katie grinned.

"No I'm not," Lily shuttered. She had already been forced to sit in a chair for half an hour and have her hair done. The result was of course beautiful, but she was growing weary of being plucked at. Sara had straightened Lily's hair until it was sleek and shiny. Katie was attempting to put her makeup on now.

"Come on, Lily," Sara pleaded, "For us?"

"Fine," Lily huffed. Katie set to work on Lily's face and transformed it into that of a runway model.

"Beautiful," she smiled. Lily looked in the mirror and grinned. Katie had done wonders on her eyes making them look sultry. The smoky eye shadow gave her a mysterious look as she quirked her face in various expressions.

"He'll be dying," Katie grinned.

"Thank you guys!" Lily exclaimed. "Your turns now!" After much giggling and primping, the girls finally went to get dressed.

"Lily, before you say no, I found an anti-Tripping charm for heels," Sara placated.

"Alright," Lily shrugged. Soon after, she was dressed the shortest shorts she had ever seen. They were even leather. Her top was another story. She had pitched a fit when she saw but Katie had finally convinced her it would be James's undoing. It was a yellow v-neck tank top that didn't even cover her stomach.

"I'm showing too much skin," she complained as she looked at her nearly bare legs.

"Trust me, Lils," Sara said as she slipped into a skirt. "Where we're going, no one will notice."

Lily sighed as she slipped in her five inch, shiny black heels. With a wave of her wand, she charmed the shoes so she could walk without falling. After casting an undetectable extension charm on her pocket to keep her wand, Lily was ready to win James.

**{PAGE BREAK}**

At eight thirty, James, Sirius, and Remus were waiting in Sara's living room.

"Why do you think we're going dancing?" Remus asked as he changed the channel.

"Probably to mess with James," Sirius snickered.

"Oh please, Padfoot," James waved him off. "I've known Lily for six years. Dancing isn't going to faze me."

"Will that?" Sirius asked as he pointed to the steps. James's mouth went dry and palms grew moist as Lily slinked down the steps. Her hips swayed seductively with every step she took and her eyes bore into James. He had never seen her dressed like _that_.

"What was that about being fazed, _Potter_?" Lily purred in a voice that dripped with sex. James's mouth dropped as he fought for air.

"Yep," Remus chuckled, "Definitely fazed." Sirius merely winked as James continued to gawk at the sex goddess he once knew as Lily Evans

**Was it stupid? I really hope not! I just wasn't ready for them to get together so I thought this might drag it out a bit.**

**The next chapter might get a little hot so I won't to remind everyone that this story is rated T!**

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! **


	20. Chapter 20

**Hey guys! It appears you liked the last chapter. Yay!**

**WHOO! We reached 100! You guys are truly amazing and I love every single one of you for taking the time to read this story and give me feedback **

**And CinziaTwut, to answer your question, I did find myself slightly unsatisfied with Mockingjay. It seemed unfinished to me.**

**Now my dear friends get ready for some booty bumpin' and maybe a little grinding ;)**

**Disclaimer: You know the drill. Potter isn't mine. Sigh.**

**p.s. I know they're all underage but this is fanfiction for a reason so just ignore that minor detail **

**Now onto the story!**

"Where exactly are we going, Sara?" James choked out. The half hour in the Aston Martin had been hell for him. Lily looked sinfully delicious in her clubbing getup and he was finding it increasingly more difficult not to run his hands all over her body. To make matters worse, Lily seemed to know exactly what he was thinking. Every time James finally beat down his raging hormones, Lily would creep closer to him causing his testosterone levels to skyrocket. She was nearly in his lap now and James found it very hard to breathe properly.

"What's with the face, James?" Lily breathed as she let her fingers caress the stress lines on his face with feather light touches.

James sucked in a quick breath as he tried to lean away from Lily. "No face," he shook his head as he backed even farther into the door.

"If you keep scooting back like that you're gonna fall out of the car," Lily smirked as she grabbed his arm. "There, that's better," she said as she pulled James closer. He gulped as she leaned into his face.

"We're here," Sara announced. James bolted from the car as the words left her lips. Lily smirked as he tried to run. Tonight was going to be even funner than she expected.

Remus handed the keys to the car to a valet as they walked in.

"Bloody hell," Sirius grinned as they were ushered inside. The interior of the dance club was packed. There was long bar on the left wall where bartenders were expertly flipping and tossing drinks together to entertain their customers. The music blasted from speakers in every corner of the room. You could feel the beat of the bass in your bones. People were packed on the dance floor which appeared to be a giant mass of bodies twisting and turning against each other. "This is my kind of place!" he exclaimed as Katie took his hand and led him to the bar.

"Come on, Prongs," Remus said as he gave James a light push forward. James obeyed and walked behind Lily to the bar. Surely her hips didn't sway _that _much. He shook his head and looked everywhere but at her.

"What'll it be?" the bartender asked Sara as they made it to the counter. Sara ordered something foreign to the wizards in the bunch. Lily grinned evilly when she heard the name. Soon after the man came back with a tray of twelve shots. Remus looked at the glasses with apprehension.

"Come on, guys," Katie called as she led the way to a staircase. The upstairs of the club was a loft that overlooked the dance floor. The loft housed a collection of booths and tables. The six wizards found a round table in the far corner and all gathered around as Sara sat the tray down.

"Don't look so scared, boys," Sara said wickedly as the Marauders eyed the tray fearfully.

"What is that?" Sirius asked as he pointed to the two glasses Lily had just sat in front of him.

"It doesn't matter," Lily said as she passed out the rest of the shots, "You're gonna drink it anyways." James actually pushed his chair back when Lily sat his two glasses in front of him. Lily only winked at him.

"Alright," Sara said as Lily settled back in her seat. "The game is Truth or Dare. We all know how to play so no need to review the rules but we'll add some consequences. If you pass on a dare or a truth you drink. Also if you're caught answering a truth untruthfully, you drink. Everyone understand?" They all nodded.

"I'll start it off then," Sirius said as he tilted his chair back on two legs. "Hmmm…. Sara. Truth or Dare?"

"Truth," Sara quipped as she fiddled with Remus's hand.

"What's your guilty pleasure?" Sirius asked.

"Quidditch," Sara answered without delay. "I knicked a Snitch back in third year after my first flying lesson. I've been playing "Catch the Snitch" ever since then. I even play in the dark."

"You can catch a Snitch in the dark?" James exclaimed. Sara nodded with a grin. "Why haven't you tried out for the team? You know Angelica Johnson graduated last year. We need a new Seeker!"

"Easy there, Captain," Sara laughed. "I'll try out if it means that much to you." James's grin increased tenfold as she agreed. "Alright, let's see. Katie, dear!"

"Oh bugger," Katie sighed dramatically.

"Choose your poison, love," Sara giggled.

"Dare," Katie answered.

"I dare you to lick Sirius's belly button," Sara laughed. Katie looked in the general direction of Sirius's stomach and wrinkled her nose.

"I'll pass," she grimaced as she tipped her shot back. She gulped down the liquid and blew air from her mouth. "Bloody hell! That burns!"

"Better than Firewhiskey, huh?" Lily grinned as she swirled her finger around the rim of her glass. Katie shook her head slightly and gave a small cough.

"James," Katie said evilly.

"Yes, Katie?" James answered back.

"Truth or Dare, Potter?" she grinned.

"Dare?" James said so that it came out as a question. Katie's grin only grew.

"I dare you to snog Lily right here, right now," she challenged as she sent Lily a secret wink. James gaped like a fish as he tried to come up with a response. The poor boy was so absorbed that he didn't notice Lily creeping towards him. In one quick motion, Lily opened James's mouth, tipped the shot down his throat, and captured his lips in her own to chase away the burning sensation of the alcohol.

"He'll pass," Lily grinned as she shoved a stunned James back in his chair. Sirius looked from Lily to James and back again before her burst out laughing.

"Lily Evans, you little minx!" he guffawed. "I'm so proud of you!" he laughed as he wiped a fake tear from his eye.

Remus poked an unresponsive James.

"I think you broke him, Lily," Remus said as he waved his hand in front of James's face.

"Oh he's fine," she grinned. "Aren't you, James?" she asked as she ran her hand along his thigh.

"P-p-peachy," James stuttered. "Uhm, Remus. Truth or Dare, mate?"

"Hmmm…. Dare, I suppose," Remus answered. James's grin return.

"I dare you to sit on Sirius's lap until your next turn."

Remus shrugged and got up from his seat. Sirius's lopsided grin was in place as he pushed his chair back.

"Come on, Moonny," he laughed as he held his arms open. He made a show of rapping his arms around Remus's waist once he sat down.

"Comfortable?" James asked.

"Very," Remus retorted. His seriousness caused the group to erupt in laughter. "Alright, alright," he chuckled. "Sirius?" he asked as he twisted to face the boy.

"Yes, honey?" Sirius teased.

"Truth or Dare?" Remus asked.

"Do you really have to ask, Remus?" he chuckled.

"I dare you to lick James's face."

"Come here, Jamesie!" Sirius exclaimed loudly. James reluctantly got up from his chair and held his face out. Sirius licked his cheek sloppily and barked out a laugh at the evident disgust on James's face.

"Gross, Padfoot," James said as he wiped his cheek and returned to his seat. "You would make a better dog than you do human."

"So you've told me, mate," Sirius chuckled. "Ok, let's see. Who hasn't gone? Ah! Lovely Lily," he grinned with mock charm.

"Truth," Lily responded.

"Who's the last person you snogged?" Sirius asked without delay. Lily's grin was devilish as she took both of her glasses in each hand. In two quick motions she had both shots down.

"James," she answered huskily, her eyes scorching James with the desire she felt for him. "I think I feel like dancing now. Potter?"

"I'll be there in a minute," he answered. James desperately needed to get a grip on his head before he went anywhere with Lily. She shrugged and motioned for Katie and Sara to come with her. As they left, Remus got up from Sirius's lap and took his original seat.

"What in the sodding hell was that?" Sirius demanded as he threw James a dark look.

"What would you have done?" James asked harshly. "She's like a bloody temptress! You saw what she did with that shot!" he said as he eyed the glass warily. Just reliving the moment caused him to tip his second drink back.

"James, you can't let her know the affect she has on you," Remus reasoned. "Not yet at least."

"Yeah," Sirius agreed. "Now get your tail out from between your legs, slap that stars out of your eyes, and summon up every ounce of Marauder charm you possess. If you think you can manage that, get down there and make her melt into a puddle." James took a deep breath as he stared at the table. Sirius and Remus were right! If Lily was going to pull stunts like that, well two could play that game. With his resolve strengthening, James shoved his chair back from the table and stood up.

"Come on, Moony, Padfoot," he said as he walked to the stairs.

Lily looked up from where she was dancing to see James approaching them. She hid her grin quickly as he walked over.

"We're gonna dance, Evans," he said as he grabbed her hand and dragged her away from her friends. Lily shot Katie and Sara a wink a she walked away. James stopped short and Lily slammed into him. Her hand splayed across his chest and James gulped.

"Scared, Potter?" Lily purred.

"You wish," James retorted as he pulled Lily flush against him. Her arms went around his neck while James's hand locked behind her waist. They danced like this for a while before James's hands started slipping lower. Lily's look warned him to stop but he didn't. With a sly grin James slipped his hands in Lily's back pockets and pushed her hips into his. Lily quirked an eyebrow at him but retaliated by grinding her hips against his own. James hissed at the contact but didn't shy away. He only countered her move by wedging his leg between hers. Lily dropped down and slid back up James's body painfully slow.

"You're too good at this, Lily," James hummed as Lily's hands slid down his chest.

"So are you," she sighed as James's fingers ran through her hair. Their faces were touching everywhere except their lips. They were teasing each other to see who broke first.

Eventually, it was James who closed the gap. He took Lily's bottom lip in his teeth and tugged on it gently before assaulting her mouth. Lily responded back with just as much fervor as her hands entwined in James's hair. He hissed as she tugged on his wild locks roughly. James held her face to him tightly and once Lily broke for air, James's mouth only left hers to nip at her neck. Lily fought for air as his wicked mouth sucked and teased her pale skin. She could feel a mark forming and pulled his face back to meet hers. James grinned against her lips as her tongue made its way into his mouth. They fought for dominance as they continued to grind on one another on the dance floor.

"James," Lily panted as he continued his torture.

"Mmmm," James murmured against her skin. Lily pulled him up to her face and looked into his eyes that seemed darker than usual.

"Why didn't you mention our first kiss?" she asked shyly. James smiled softly. Only his Lily could go from tempting to timid that quickly.

"Because, love," James said as he pecked her lips softly just because he could, "I wanted you to be comfortable with where we were. I was leaving the choice up to you, Lily."

Lily smiled and kissed him sweetly. "Thank you, James." He grinned and twined his fingers with hers.

"Oi! James! Lily! You ready?" Sirius called with a mischievous grin.

"Yeah, mate. We're coming," James answered. He kept Lily's hand in his as he led her to the exit. Lily wore a blissfully happy smile on her face as she trailed behind James.

"What are you smiling about?" Katie teased as Lily slid into the car.

"Oh nothing," she sang as James got in behind her. Once he settled, Lily scooted over onto his lap.

"Can I help you, Ms. Evans?" he chuckled.

"You already have, Mr. Potter," she answered as she leaned into his chest. James wrapped his arms around her waist as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Liiiiillllllyyyyy," Sirius said as he poked the near-slumbering redhead.

"Shove off, Padfoot," James grinned as he batted Sirius's hand away. "Leave my girlfriend alone." Sirius's smile could be seen in the dark as he leaned away from the couple. Lily fell asleep with a smile on her face as she snuggled deeper into James's embrace.

**Well they're together! How does that make you feel? Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!**

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Oh my lovelies! I'm such a horrible human being! It's been over a MONTH! I am so so sorry! Hopefully this will make it up to you **

**THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for the beautiful reviews! They make me smile every time I read them.**

**Disclaimer: Sigh. I don't own it. No need to remind me **

**Now onto the story!**

It's was 9 a.m. and Lily lay peacefully in her bed. She was awake but decided it wasn't quite time to open her eyes just yet. Bright sunlight streamed in the room and she rolled over to avoid it.

"That's better," her thoughts sighed as she hugged her warm pillow tightly. Hang on. Pillows don't breathe. Nor do they smell inexplicably like James Potter. "James?" she thought. "Why would James be in my bed? Oh, Lily this is what you get for eating cheese in the middle of the night," her thoughts berated her. Cautiously, Lily peeked one eye open to confirm that this was in fact a dream. To her surprise, it wasn't. James Potter was in _her _bed and he was smiling lovingly at _her_. "What in the bloody hell happened?" Lily thought.

"Good morning, Flower," James smiled sweetly as he brought his lips down to hers. When they touched, Lily felt a jolt like lightning racing through her. This jolt jump started her memory. The club came back and there was drinking and dancing and excessive snogging. As James pulled back, Lily grinned widely.

"Good morning, James," she sighed happily as she stretched, her top riding up as she did so. James looked at the delicious skin and a deep growl bubbled up his throat. Before Lily realized what was happening, James had her pinned on the bed beneath him. He rested on his elbows and put just enough of his weight on her for her to feel every plane of his body.

James smiled mischievously. "You're gonna have to not do that around me, love," he grinned. "Apparently it brings the animal out in me."

Lily smirked as she wrapped one leg around James's hips and turned them so she was on top. "What if I like the animal?" she breathed. James's breath hitched and his hazel eyes turned dark as he pulled Lily down to him. Their lips crashed together with force as the tasted each other greedily. As James's hands explored her body, Lily suddenly realized she was only in a tank top and underwear. Deciding it wasn't fair for James to be fully clothed, she inched her fingers under his shirt and started pulling it up. She did it torturously slow and James finally had enough. He flipped them again so he was on top. He broke the kiss just long enough to yank his shirt over his head. Lily's hands eagerly traced every muscle of his chest and stomach as his hands continued to search her body. Just as James's finger started to trace the line of her underwear, Lily broke the kiss.

"We have to slow down, James," she panted. James groaned and rolled off her. Lily curled up against his side and laid her head on his chest. She traced light patterns on his stomach as they both regained their breath.

"You're right," he sighed. "I've waited too long for you to mess this up over hormones," he smiled as he caressed Lily's face. She planted a light kiss on his palm and got up to get his shirt. James stretched his arms out like a child and let her slide it back on him.

"Lily?" James asked.

"Yes, James?" she responded.

"Will you please put a pair of pants on? This would be a lot less difficult if you weren't in your knickers," he said shyly. Lily laughed and kissed his cheek before going to the bathroom to shower. Ten minutes later she returned in a green cotton sundress with damp hair. She sat back on the bed and leaned into James. He swept her hair to one side and placed a kiss on her neck. Lily smiled contently and stood up.

"Come on," she said as she offered her hand to James.

"Where are we going?" he asked, taking it.

"Someplace fun," Lily grinned. As they walked out of the room, Shadow walked by and gave James a slight growl.

"I don't think he wants to share you," he laughed. Lily crouched down to the dog.

"You know you'll always be my number one guy, big man," she cooed as she scratched Shadow behind the ear. He butted her affectionately and followed Lily and James downstairs.

"Morning," Sirius said groggily from the couch. Lily looked at James questioningly.

"He's never been much of a morning person," James chuckled. "Hangovers just make it worse." Lily laughed and ruffled Sirius's hair affectionately.

"Come on, Sirius," she grinned as he grumpily batted her hand away. "I've got somewhere fun for us to go today!"

"Tell me in about an hour," Sirius groaned as he lay down and covered his head with a blanket. James smiled down at his friend and pulled Lily into the kitchen.

"He can hold Firewhiskey better than anyone I know but when it comes to Muggle drinks he's a lightweight," he chuckled as he bustled around the kitchen in search of the components of the official Marauder hangover remedy. "Ah-ha," he smiled as he found what he was looking for.

"What?" Lily asked.

"This is the best cure for Sirius. Better than any potion," James grinned as he made a peanut butter sandwich and poured a glass of milk. "The bread will soak up any alcohol left in his system and the milk will sooth his stomach."

"What will the peanut butter help?" Lily asked, curious now.

"His attitude," James laughed. "Sirius loves peanut butter more than any other food. I think it's a dog thing." Lily laughed as she grabbed some Muggle aspirin too.

"This will help his headache. It works like a charm," she winked. James smiled and added the two pills to the tray before going back to his slumbering friend.

"Sirius," he said quietly as he lightly shook Sirius's arm. "Come on, mate. Wake up. I've got you some food."

"No, Prongs. No food," Sirius whined pitifully, his voice muffled by the blanket.

"It's peanut butter, Padfoot," James chuckled. "The crunchy kind." At this, Sirius poked his head from beneath the blanket. At the sight of the sandwich his eyes lit up.

"Thanks, brother," he said gratefully as he sat up. He took a large bite of his sandwich and smiled. "You're the best sandwich maker ever, James."

"Sure, sure, Padfoot. You just say that so I'll make them more."

"Hey what are these white things?" Sirius asked, pointing at the aspirin.

"It's muggle medicine," Lily explained. "It'll help your headache." Without a second thought, Sirius popped the two capsules in his mouth a swallowed them with a gulp of milk.

"Thanks, Lily," he said with a mouth full of peanut butter. "Now what did you say about going someplace fun?"

"How does visiting the aquarium sound?" Lily smiled.

"Bloody fantastic, whatever that is" Sirius grinned back as he finished his sandwich. "I'll go back to my place and get ready," he said as he stood. He gave Lily a friendly peck on the cheek and ruffled James's hair who punched him in the arm lightly.

With a contented sigh Lily fell onto the couch until she had a revelation.

"James?" she said nervously.

"Yes, Flower?" he asked.

"Did you all sleep over here last night? We didn't do anything did we? Oh bloody hell! I don't even remember getting in bed! James what happened. Oh this is—" James cut her rambling off with kiss.

"Take a breath, Lily," he smiled sweetly. "We didn't do anything. Moony and I slept at Sirius's place. We only left him here because he's too big to move. I came over this morning about half an hour before you woke up." Lily breathed a sigh of relief and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. James rested his cheek on her head as he drew lazy circles on her shoulder blades.

"Lily I want you to know I would never hurt you or take advantage of you in any way," he breathed into her hair. Lily pulled his face down to eye level and smiled.

"I know," she answered before giving him a gentle kiss. "I'm gonna go wake Katie and Sara now."

"Yeah, alright. I better go get Remus up and make sure Sirius is getting dress," James said as he hugged Lily tightly to him. He planted a kiss on her head before releasing her and walking to the door. "Oh, and Lily?" he asked, one hand on the doorknob.

"Yes?" Lily asked.

"Go out with me, Evans?" he said, impersonating himself from the past. He even threw in a roguish wink for effect.

Lily tapped her chin and pretended to think. "Not on your life, Potter," she smiled mischievously. James crossed the room in six long strides and backed Lily into the wall, wresting his hands on the wall beside her head. Once again, Lily was shocked at his height and found his proximity intoxicating. Chills erupted through her body but she refused to let them show.

"Come on, Evans. Just give me a chance," James purred against her collarbone as he planted scorching kisses on it. Lily took a deep breath to steady herself.

"I don't know, Potter," she teased. James grinned at her naughtily and kissed her so deeply Lily's knees buckled. Sensing this, James pushed his body flush against hers and pinned her to the wall. Lily's head was spinning wildly. The estrogen in her body pumped through her veins quickly as James tugged at her lips with his teeth. He eventually broke the heated kiss but Lily wasn't finished. She attacked his neck and sucked at the sensitive skin there. James moaned quietly as she hit the sensitive spot underneath his jaw. Lily grinned against his skin as she continued her delicious torture. The fact that she had made _James Potter _moan was a definite boost to her confidence.

"Hey Lil—Oh sorry, guys!" Sara exclaimed as she walked in the living room. Lily pulled back from James neck and saw a dark mark forming.

"Oops," she chuckled as she kissed the now tender spot. James walked to the mirror in the hall and swore under his breath.

"Remus and Sirius are going to have a field day with this," he said as he looked at the mark from different angles. Lily laughed throatily and wrapped her arms around him from behind.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly in his back. James spun himself around and held her close.

"You can feel free to mark me as your own anytime you like, love. As long as I can return the favor," he smirked the Marauder smirk and Lily kissed it from his lips.

"Go get the boys," she said as she went to the stairs.

"Alright, see you in a bit," James smiled as he walked out the door. As soon as the door clicked shut, Lily began to sprint up the stairs to the safe haven of her bedroom. James may be worried about Sirius and Remus, but their teasing would look like playground bullying compared to Sara and Katie. Lily quickened her pace at the thought. Relieved, she shut her door and locked it for good measure. Comforted by her solitude, she slid down the door and took a deep breath.

"And where were you planning on going, Lils?" Katie snickered from the bed. Lily's eyes opened in shock. So much for escaping.

"Yeah, Lily. You didn't think it would be that easy did you? I'm disappointed to know you think so lowly of us." Sara was sitting on the spiral staircase basking in the warm sun from the skylight.

"Bloody hell," Lily mumbled.

"You could probably put Hoover out of business with the way you suck, Lily," Sara snickered. And so it begins.

"You always call me a vampire because I sleep in," Katie chuckled. "At least I don't suck unsuspecting blokes' necks." Lily groaned.

"I don't tease you two about Sirius and Remus," Lily whined.

"That's because we never signed a self-written contract that said we wouldn't date them even if it was an option between them and the Giant Squid," Katie laughed.

"Oh yeah," Lily mused. "I should probably rip that up."

"So tell me," Sara said, standing up from the staircase and sitting by Katie on the bed, "is James Potter really that good of a snogger or is it all hype?" Lily's cheeks burned to match her hair but there was no denying that James was a good kissing partner.

"He definitely knows what he's doing," Lily grinned. "I don't think he's snogged as many girls as his fan club seems to think."

"Well I'll tell you one thing," Katie said as she sat up, "Sirius is more than experienced and I'm bloody glad for it too. I like a man who can take charge." Lily and Sara laughed at Katie's outburst.

"We'll let you slide this one time with only minor teasing, Lil," Sara smiled, "but next time you're fair game."

"Yeah," Katie agreed, "keep it in your room next time and if you're gonna give him a hickey like that one you need to put it somewhere he can hide it," she finished with a nod.

"You talk like you're speaking from experience, K," Lily said, quirking her eyebrow.

"Never said I was, never said I wasn't," Katie responded grinning like the Chesire cat himself. Lily ruffled her hair and shooed her friends out of her room.

"Go get dressed," she said as she pushed them out the door, "we're going to the aquarium." Katie and Sara whooped with joy as they headed to their own rooms. Lily grabbed a white wife beater and tucked it into a high-waisted, coral skirt that fell mid-thigh. She finished her look with mascara, lip gloss, and leather sandals. As she finished fastening them she heard a bang followed by bickering that announced the arrival of the Marauders.

"Padfoot, do you have to be so careless? You don't just sling doors open as hard as you please," Remus scolded.

"Good Godric, you sound like a mother hen, Moony," Sirius grumbled as he gently shut the door. "Prongs, quit rubbing your neck and trying to hide it. I saw that hickey the second you walked in the door. Show it with pride! Lily, did a real number on you there."

"Padfoot, shut up!" James said, followed by a smack. "I don't want you guys teasing Lily about this."

"Teasing her?" Sirius exclaimed. "I want to congratulate her on a job well done!" This was followed by two loud smacks. "Ow! Bloody ow! What is wrong with you two? I won't take the mickey out on her! I swear!" Lily smiled at their bickering as she headed down the stairs.

"Thanks, Sirius," she said as she walked into the living room. "Your congratulations are much appreciated." Lily walked to James and plant a wet kiss on the mark on his neck. "Hi James," she breathed. James smiled at her and enveloped her in a hug.

"Hello, love," he said into her sweet smelling hair. Katie and Sara walked down the stairs and shook their heads at the sight of their friends.

"I'm not going if you two are going to be all lovey-dovey like that," Katie chuckled as she slid under Sirius's arm. He grinned down at her and kissed her hair.

"Well isn't that the pot calling the cauldron black," James laughed. Katie stuck her tongue out at him as she went to get her shoes. Once they were all dressed and ready, they walked out the door. Lily threw Shadow a dog treat as she shut the door and locked it.

James and Sirius were horsing around to determine who would drive. Lily laughed as she walked over and the boys were wrestling on the ground with absolutely no intention of harming the other.

"I told you, Prongs," came Sirius's muffled voice as his face was pinned into James's shirt, "I'm driving and there's nothing you can do for it."

"Oh contraire, Padfoot," James said as he pulled Sirius's arms back, "I'm driving, not you."

"Maybe if you two would quit mucking around," came Remus's amused voice from above them, "you could see that Lily was driving." The redhead in question grinned innocently from the driver's seat, seatbelt fastened and door locked. James and Sirius groaned at her playfully as they helped each other up and dusted each other off.

James walked around to the passenger seat only to find it locked. Lily grinned at him and rolled the window down just enough for him to hear her.

"I want Remus to sit with me," she smirked. "He doesn't romp around in the dirt." James huffed theatrically and climbed in the back. Remus hopped up front with Lily and laughed as James pouted.

"Remus," Sara whined playfully, "don't leave me back here with these animals."

"Come up here, Sara," Remus smiled as he patted his lap. Katie shrieked as Sara began to climb over the console and pulled her back down.

"You are NOT leaving me in the middle of these two alone," she hissed. Sara pretended to pout as she crossed her arms and jutted her lower lip out. Remus unbuckled his seatbelt and twisted around to kiss her pouty lips. Sara's frown turned into a daze as he smirked the Marauder smirk and twisted back around.

"It's always odd when Remus smirks," Katie chuckled. "It seems so out of place, yet I think he pulls it off better than these two oafs," she said, pointing at a stunned James and Sirius.

"But we _taught _him how to smirk!" Sirius exclaimed.

"Well it looks like the pupil has become the teacher," Lily laughed as she pulled out on the highway. James and Sirius continued to argue about their smirks being far superior. Then, this led to an argument of who smirked the best between themselves. Lily, Katie, and Sara kept arguing that Remus was the supreme smirker and this seemed to irritate Sirius and James to no end so naturally they kept it up. Just as they were disputing the advantages of dimples or no dimples, they pulled into the parking lot.

"Oh, look!" a blushing Remus shouted, thankful for an end to the analysis of his face, "Let's go!" Sara ran after him as he bolted from the Jeep.

"I think your dimples are absolutely handsome," she smiled as she kissed the corners of Remus's mouth. He grinned and sure enough, the boyish dimples showed. His eyes danced in delight as he captured Sara's lips in his own. Their sweet moment was broken by Sirius's catcall.

"Moony, you can have your fun later," James laughed as Remus's eyes shot daggers at Sirius. Sara grinned as she skipped beside Remus, slipping her tiny hand into his much larger one.

"Don't worry," she winked at James, "he will." With that, she hooked arms with Lily and Katie and walked to the ticket booth, their hips swaying tauntingly.

"Bloody birds are gonna be the death of us," Sirius grumbled as he looked after Katie longingly. "Well, come on gents. We have three lovely ladies over there and they sure as hell aren't going to pay for their own way in." He gave James and Remus a shove and they took off at a sprint. Lily was reaching into her wallet when James skidded up to the booth. He deftly slid Lily's body behind his own.

"Two, please," he smiled courteously at the attendant. Lily protested when he paid for her, but he paid her complaints no mind. Tickets in hand, he turned to the slightly miffed redhead and tapped her nose with the tickets.

"You didn't honestly believe I would let you pay for yourself did you?" he smiled down at Lily and swept her bangs from her eyes.

"You're too charming for your own good, Prince," Lily smiled dreamily.

"I'm not sure, but I think you just called me Prince Charming," James grinned.

"You're _my _Prince Charming," Lily said as she stepped into James's open arms. He tucked her head under his chin and looked to their friends who were still getting tickets.

"Then that makes you my princess," he sighed into her hair. Lily looked up at him, a beautiful smile on her face. James placed a gentle kiss on the tip of her nose and Lily grinned up at him. "And if you are my princess, I shall start treating you like one."

"You already do," Lily smiled.

"Well I guess I better keep it up then," James said softly as he hugged Lily tight to him.

"Come on, you two," Sirius boomed from the entrance. "Let's go see the fishes!" James chuckled at his best mate and took Lily's hand in his. He pulled her along behind him as he ran to the door.

When they stepped into the aquarium, the Marauders and Katie gasped as they had never seen an aquarium before.

"Wow," Katie breathed as she pivoted in a circle, trying to take in the entire building.

"Come in!" Lily exclaimed with a childlike excitement. "You haven't even seen the best parts!"

The group traveled around the aquarium excitedly with many laughs along the way. While in the shark tunnel, it took all five of them to restrain Sirius from Apparating into the tank so he could go scuba diving. At the stingray habitat, they were allowed to pet the stingrays. In the shallow pool, stingrays and baby sharks swam close enough for bystanders to touch them. Unfortunately for James, he leaned a bit too far just as Sirius gave him a playful shove. The result was a dripping wet teen boy who was screaming like a girl that the sharks were "trying to take his legs off". Remus had mercifully grabbed James by the shoulders and hauled him out of the pool before the attendants noticed. James shook from the cold water and Lily cast a drying charm on him. Sirius had dramatically apologized, even going so far as begging on his knees for forgiveness.

"Shut up, Padfoot," James said as he playfully pushed Sirius's shoulder. The boy in question stood and wrapped James in a rib-breaking hug.

"Oh, James! I thought you were lost forever, mate!" Sirius shouted as he pulled James impossibly closer.

"Sirius—can't breathe—ow!" James whined as Sirius abused his ribcage.

"Oi! Sirius!" Lily grinned as she pulled Sirius away from James. "I would appreciate it if you didn't crush my boyfriend. I just got him," she laughed.

"Sorry, Lils," Sirius smiled as James melodramatically rubbed his chest, trying to suppress a smile.

"I honestly worry about your sexuality sometimes, Padfoot," Remus laughed. "Katie, you better watch out. He may run off with James into the sunset one day." Katie feigned concern and wrapped her arms tightly around Sirius's waist while shooting James a dirty look.

"We're an odd group," Sara chuckled as some bystanders stared at the group, bewildered by their antics.

"Nah," James said, waving them off, "they just don't understand the deep complexity of our relationship." They all smiled at the truth behind his words. They were quite the odd group being magical and all.

The day ended after the dolphin show. Sirius and James had volunteered Remus to assist the trainer during the show. He had been made to feed the dolphins fish and wrinkled his nose in disgust each time. At the end of the show, he had conspiratorially whispered to the trainer who had nodded with a grin. As the dolphins made a final lap around the pool, they stopped in front of Remus's friends and sent a colossal wave rushing over them with a flip of their tails, effectively soaking them all to the bone. The girls had shrieked as Sirius and James shook their dripping hair from their eyes, laughing at Remus's prank.

"Remus! I can't believe you did that!" Sara playfully shrieked as they walked back to the car. Remus laughed and stooped so she could jump on his back for a piggy back ride. He smirked devilishly and squeezed her thighs as he pretended to drop her. "James! Sirius! Look what you've done to him!"

"I'm so proud, Moony!" James laughed as he clapped him on the shoulder.

"All our hard work has paid off, James!" Sirius exclaimed. "We finally did it! We corrupted Prefect Remus John Lupin! Welcome to the dark side, Moony, where mischief and mayhem runs rampant." Remus's eyes twinkled with happiness as he laughed with his two best friends and the most beautiful girl in the world, in his opinion (Sirius and James may have another argument for that position), clung to his back. Katie and Lily skipped beside them, arms linked.

The sun was just setting when the Jeep pulled in the driveway. Lily began to walk towards the house when James grabbed her hand and pulled her on the beach with him. With a flick of his wand, he conjured a blanket for them to sit on complete with a picnic basket.

"Hungry?" he asked as they sat down.

"Starved," Lily admitted. James reached into the basket and pulled out two peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly as he passed her a sandwich, "this is all I know how to make." Lily smiled as she bit into her sandwich.

"I think it's delicious," she said as she leaned in to kiss his cheek. James had other plans and turned his face at the last second to capture her lips with his own. "Potter!" Lily pretended to be offended.

"You may be my girl now," James smirked, "but that doesn't mean my debonair Marauder charms will go away, _Evans_," he said cheekily. Lily playfully pushed his face away from hers and James placed a kiss on her hand. Lily smiled happily and entwined their fingers. They leaned in to each other, foreheads touching and smiled at one another.

Unbeknownst to Lily and James, their friends were spying from the deck at Sara's house. Katie and Sara were giggling like the girls they were at how sweet Lily and James were.

"Who would've guessed?" Katie laughed.

"No one at Hogwarts is gonna believe this," Sirius chuckled.

"Oh yes they will," Sara grinned as she zoomed in on the two with her camera. _Click! _went the camera as she snapped the picture.

Remus smiled as he saw the Polaroid spit the picture out. "We should start taking more pictures to remember this summer by."

"Already on it," Sara grinned.

"She's an avid photographer," Katie smiled fondly at her friend. "She has an entire shoebox of pictures from this summer under her bed,"

"Brilliant!" Sirius exclaimed as Katie sat on his lap. "Did you get pictures from Disney World, Sara?"

"Naturally," Sara smiled. "I'll show them to you if you want." Sirius nodded as he stood and followed Sara and Katie into the house. Remus stood to go with them, casting a final glance at James and Lily. She was resting her head on James's shoulder.

"Congratulations mate," he smiled to himself. "You really deserve her." With that, he turned and jogged lightly to catch up with his other friends.

**How was it my dears? Are you happy or was it too much? I'll cut back on the fluff if you want! Anyways, this fic is nearly complete. I think there will be two or three more chapters to finish it up! Yay!**

**Do you guys want more Remus/Sara or Sirius/Katie in the fic? I don't want to neglect their romance if you want to see it. Let me know!**

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**


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